MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Lewis, Bullpen Combine to Blank Kernels

Published on May 15, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Clinton, IA - Right-hander Taylor Lewis couldn't have asked for a better debut. The newest member of the Clinton staff yielded a run and two walks over 5.0 scoreless innings and struck out two, leading the LumberKings to a 5-0 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Alliant Energy Field.

Lewis (W, 1-0) did not allow his first hit until he had two outs in the fifth. Justin Bass finally broke through with a grounder that got past a diving Nick Franklin at second base. Still, Lewis would get out of the inning as he induced Jon Karcich into an inning-ending groundout.

The LumberKings gave him an early lead with the first at-bat. Franklin lifted a Garrett Richards pitch off the top of the wood wall in left-center for his sixth home run. The first leadoff blast by a LumberKing since 2008 gave Clinton a 1-0 lead.

The lead would extend to 3-0 in the fourth inning. Mario Martinez singled and Kalian Sams walked, putting runners on for Welington Dotel. He lined a triple past the diving Bass in right, scoring both baserunners for a 3-0 lead.

Richards (L, 2-2) earned all three runs on five hits over 6.0 innings. Right-hander Jon Bachanov yielded two more runs in the seventh on a wild pitch and an RBI double by Vinnie Catricala.

Clinton's 5-0 lead would draw only one serious threat from the Kernels, coming in the ninth. Right-hander John Housey (H, 1) fired 3.2 scoreless innings, but left runners at the corners with two gone in the ninth. Left-hander Jose Jimenez walked the only man he faced - Matt Long - to load the bases. Closer Brandon Josselyn (S, 4) was summoned from the pen. He'd retire Casey Haerther on a fly ball to right, leaving the bases loaded.

The shutout victory is Clinton's second this season, both coming in 5-0 decisions over the Kernels. The previous blanking was on April 27 at Perfect Game Field.

Franklin (2-for-3, 3B, HR, RBI) and Dotel (2-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI) had the multi-hit games for the LumberKings. Catricala added an RBI, going 1-for-4.

Mike Trout had two of the four hits for Cedar Rapids, going 2-for-4.

The LumberKings (18-19) and Kernels (20-16) conclude their four-game series tomorrow afternoon at Alliant Energy Field, first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM. Left-hander Anthony Vasquez (2-2, 0.84) will make his eighth start of the season. Listen to all the action on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at 1390kcln.com.

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Midwest League Stories from May 15, 2010


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