Mooney Money, Bats Bash in Series Win over Lugnuts

Published on June 5, 2022 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release

Lansing, MI - Kernels righthander Sean Mooney retired 12 of 13 faced and tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts while the lineup homered four times and pounded out 13 hits in a 9-3 series finale win over the Lansing Lugnuts on Sunday afternoon. Aaron Sabato and Christian Encarnacion-Strand each had three hits while Yunior Severino, Jeferson Morales and Kennie Taylor added two-knock games. Cedar Rapids takes the series four games to two and improves to 33-18 with their third-straight win.

Mooney was downright untouchable over 4.0 innings of scoreless relief work, allowing just one baserunner on a walk while punching out 10 to earn his second win of the season. The righthander threw 43 strikes on 70 pitches with 14 whiffs. He served as the piggyback behind Aaron Rozek, who struck out five and scattered three hits over 4.0 frames of three-run ball.

Lansing opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second. The Kernels wouldn't wait long to respond, as Encarnacion-Strand smoked a two-out double in the third then scored on a Sabato RBI single. Severino drew a walk, then Morales ripped a game-tying single through the left side.

Will Holland teed off on a solo home run in the fourth but the Lugnuts drew even with a shot of their own in the home half. Encarnacion-Strand opened the fifth inning with a towering go-ahead solo shot, with Holland adding a sac fly a bit later to make it 5-3 Kernels.

Taylor and Sabato rounded out the Kernels' scoring with two-run bombs in the eighth and ninth innings, with Brad Hanner closing out a 1-2-3 final frame.

The Kernels are idle on Monday before beginning a six-gamer in South Bend on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT.

Midwest League Stories from June 5, 2022

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• Chiefs Bats Stymied in Series Finale Sunday - Peoria Chiefs
• Kernels Overpower Nuts, 9-3 - Lansing Lugnuts
• Hurt No-Hits Fort Wayne in Rain-Shortened Series Finale - Great Lakes Loons
• Mooney Money, Bats Bash in Series Win over Lugnuts - Cedar Rapids Kernels
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• Rattlers Drop 5-2 Decision to Peoria - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
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