MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Long-distance loss

Published on May 31, 2004 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Drew Larsen, Kevin Collins, Brian Dopirak and Chris Walker belted three-run home runs to power Lansing past the Kernels, 13-1, Monday afternoon in a Midwest League baseball game played before a crowd of 2,125 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Kernels (29-21) dropped one-half game behind Kane County in the Western Division, pending the outcome of the Cougars' late game against South Bend. The Kernels split the four-game series with Lansing (30-21) and finished the 11-game homestand with a 7-4 record.

Ryan Dempster, on a rehab assignment from the Chicago Cubs, started for Lansing and pitched three innings. Dempster, who had Tommy John surgery to replace a ligament in his right (pitching) elbow last August, gave up three hits and a run, walked one and struck out one. He threw 43 pitches, 29 for strikes. Billy Petrick (7-2) pitched six scoreless innings in relief for the win.

Three of Lansing's four home runs came off Kernels starter Nic Touchstone (1-2), who came into the game with a 19-inning scoreless streak and a 2.22 ERA. Touchstone was touched for seven hits and nine runs in four innings. His ERA ballooned to 4.45.

Larsen's three-run home run in the second inning, an opposite-field blow over the right-field wall, gave Lansing a 3-0 lead. It was his third home run in three games and gave him seven RBI in the series. Larsen came into the series with one home run and five RBI in 34 games.

Collins' three-run blast in the Lansing third boosted the Lugnuts' lead to 6-0. It was his league-leading 15th home run of the season. The Lansing lead grew to 9-1 in the fourth inning on Dopirak's three-run home run. Walker's three-run blast highlighted Lansing's four-run eighth inning that made the score 13-1.

The Kernels scored their only run in the third inning off Dempster. Howie Kendrick laced a two-out single, stole second and scored on Brandon Wood's single.

NIBLETS – The Kernels open an eight-game road trip on Tuesday at Burlington. They play the Bees four games and then travel to South Bend for four games. ... Fifteen of the Kernels final 19 games in the first half will be played on the road. ... Kernels games can be heard on The Zone, ESPN Radio 1600 AM with John Rodgers.

Check out the Cedar Rapids Kernels Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Midwest League Stories from May 31, 2004


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.

OurSports Central