No Eighth Inning Magic On Sunday, Wizards Lose 4-1
May 4, 2008 - Midwest League (MWL1) - Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
FORT WAYNE, IN---In the first two games of the three-game series played between Fort Wayne and Cedar Rapids, the Wizards rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning to snatch victories away from the Kernels by scores of 7-5 and 10-9.
In the series finale on Sunday afternoon, there was no eighth inning "magic" for Fort Wayne, as Cedar Rapids maintained a lead they established in both the first and third inning, winning by a final score of 4-1, to the dismay of the 4,184 fans who came out to Memorial Stadium.
The Kernels got off to a quick start against Wizard starting pitcher Mat Latos, as a lead off double by Ivan Contreras was followed one out later by a double off the bat of Efren Navarro, the extra-base hits giving Cedar Rapids a 1-0 lead.
Fort Wayne tied the score in the bottom of the second inning, as Felix Carrasco walked on four pitches from Kernel starter Michael Anton with the bases loaded, forcing in Angel Mercado from third base.
The 1-1 tie didn't last very long, as a two-out double by Clay Fuller scored Andrew Romine from third base to give Cedar Rapids the lead once again at 2-1.
It remained 2-1 until the Kernels roughed up Wizard relief pitcher Geoff Vandel in the top of the sixth inning, scoring twice on two-out, run-producing hits by Chris Rosenbaum and Jerry Gonzalez to go up by a score of 4-1.
After surviving the shaky second inning (allowing just the one run even though the bases were loaded with nobody out), Anton settled into a groove in the third and fourth inning before again running into some potential trouble in the fifth.
Luis Durango singled to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.
On Anton's fourth pitch to Drew Cumberland, Durango took off for second base. Cumberland popped up on a bunt attempt to Rosenbaum, whose throw to Navarro at first base easily doubled up Durango for the second out of the inning.
The double play proved costly for Fort Wayne, as Lance Zawadzki followed with a sharp single to left and Justin Baum flied out to deep centerfield, plays that might have resulted in the tying run scoring if not for the double play.
After Zawadzki's single, Anton, along with relief pitchers Brian Chambers and Ryan Brasier, limited the Wizards to just two hits the rest of the way (a one-out single by Yefri Carvajal in the seventh inning and a two-out double by Carrasco in the ninth).
Anton (4-1), who allowed the one run on six hits, walked three, and struck out six in 6.2 innings of work, picked up the win.
Latos (0-2), who gave up the runs scored in the first and third inning, suffered the loss.
Brasier collected his sixth save in eight save opportunities.
The loss snapped a three-game Fort Wayne winning streak.
The Wizards will try to get another winning streak started, when they welcome the Burlington Bees to Memorial Stadium for a three-game series.
Monday night's series opener will feature right hand starting pitchers Robert Woodard (1-2, 4.22) of Fort Wayne and Joe Augenstine (1-0, 2.74) of Burlington.
The game can be heard on both the radio (ESPN Radio 1380) and the Internet (www.fortwaynewizards.com), beginning with the Hupe Insurance Services Pre-Game Show at 5:40 p.m. (EDT).
• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...
Midwest League Stories from May 4, 2008
- Kernels snap streak in 4-1 win over Wizards - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- No Eighth Inning Magic On Sunday, Wizards Lose 4-1 - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Figaro shuts out Quad Cities - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Loons Play Spoiler - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Mattingly Delivers In The Clutch - Great Lakes Loons
- Eighth Inning Rally Lifts Lugs To 4-1 Win Over Beloit - Lansing Lugnuts
- Cougars Clubbed By LumberKings - Kane County Cougars
- Reed's Home Run Is The Difference In Dragons' 2-0 Win - Dayton Dragons
- Figaro's Gem Stifles Bandits In Series Finale - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Bees Allow Just Two Runs, But Lose - Burlington Bees
- Chiefs Shutout By Top Diamondbacks Prospect 2-0 Sunday - Peoria Chiefs
- Snappers Lose Pitchers Duel To Loons - Beloit Sky Carp
- Three Run Fourth Is All Snappers Need To Take Series - Beloit Sky Carp
- Dinga Placed On DL; Towns Arrives From Extended Spring Training - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Vitters Headed Back to Mesa with Left Hand Injury - Peoria Chiefs
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.
