Kernels lose opener to Swing, don't lose ground in chase
August 29, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
August 29, 2005 - The Kernels lost a 13-8 slugfest to the first place Swing of the Quad Cities at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Monday night but remained three games out of the final playoff spot due to losses by Beloit and Kane County.
The Swing pounded out 17 hits in the victory.
After staking the Swing to a 4-0 lead through three innings, the Kernels finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with two runs of their own. Drew Toussaint his a one-out triple to left center and scored on a single by Warner Madrigal. Josh LeBlanc, who was hit by a pitch prior to Madrigal's at bat, moved to third on the single before scoring on a ground out by Jordan Renz.
Three more runs by the Swing in the fifth gave the visiting club a 7-2 lead before the Kernels answered with a four run bottom half of the frame. Sean Rodriguez led off the inning with a single to center and Nate Sutton was hit by a Mark McCormick pitch. Michael Collins, who received the Rockwell Collins Fan's Choice Award prior to Monday night's game, then singled to right to load the bases. With two outs an infield single by Josh LeBlanc scored Rodriguez and kept the inning alive. Madrigal then belted a single to center to plate Sutton and Collins and the Kernel right fielder himself scored after Renz greeted Quad City reliever Jason Cairns with an RBI single down the line in left.
Cedar Rapids nearly tied the game in the sixth when an intentional walk to Toussaint loaded the bases but Tyler Adamczyk got LeBlanc to strike out swinging to end the inning. The Quad City right-hander was eventually credited with the victory after pitching 1 1/3 hitless innings of relief.
Quad City battered the Kernel bullpen for two runs in each of the final three innings. The Kernels managed just lone runs in the eighth and ninth innings. A ground out by Collins plated Sutton in the eighth and the Kernels loaded the bases in the ninth but could only manage to score one run when Renz chased home LeBlanc after he had walked to lead off the inning and Madrigal had doubled to right center. With the bases full of Kernels and reliever Matt Trent proving very hittable, Swing manager Joe Cunningham turned to closer Mike Sillman with two outs and the tying run on deck. Sillman got Sandoval to hit a chopper back to the mound to end the game.
Francisco Cordova took the loss for the Kernels, falling to 4-5 after allowing seven runs on five hits over just 4 1/3 innings in his first start since leaving the Kernels' August 19th game at Clinton with a blister on his throwing hand. Madrigal's 3-for-5 night at the plate ensured he extended his hitting streak to 10 games, the third longest streak by a member of the Kernels this year. Collins had a 15-gamer and Alexi Casilla set the 2005 standard by hitting safely in 22 straight from July through mid-August.
The victory kept the Swing in first place in the Western Division standings and adds some importance to Tuesday night's second game of the series. There are just seven regular season games remaining in the second half of play.
Midwest League Stories from August 29, 2005
- Kernels lose opener to Swing, don't lose ground in chase - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Bees ride Dossett back into win column - Burlington Bees
- Swing tie HR record, hold off Kernels - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Strong pitching leads Chiefs past Beloit 2-1 - Peoria Chiefs
- Timber rattled - Dayton Dragons
- Snappers lose another heartbreaker - Beloit Sky Carp
- Home win streak reaches five for Rays - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Magic number stalls at one, Whitecaps shutout by South Bend - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Cougars cooled off by Devil Rays - Kane County Cougars
- Dragons edge Rattlers - Dayton Dragons
- Ellis returns from DL stint - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Swing poised to make playoff push - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Right hander Angel Garcia has been placed on the disabled list - Beloit Sky Carp
- Back to school celebration with Staples and Devil Rays - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Silver Hawks sweep L-Kings - South Bend Silver Hawks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
