MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Seven-Run 6th and Rain Washes Away Clinton, 7-5

Published on July 13, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Clinton, IA - For the second consecutive game - and third of the season against the Cedar Rapids Kernels (11-12, 42-51), the Clinton LumberKings (7-16, 37-54) lost in a rain-shortened affair. Saturday night, the Kernels cruised to a 5-1, seven-inning victory, and Sunday, the LumberKings' comeback hopes disappeared with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

LumberKings left-hander Eddie Campbell (5-7), coming off his best start of 2014, pitched well through the first five innings. The sixth inning, however, saw his bid at a quality start fade away, along with Clinton's hopes of ending a four-game losing streak.

The Kernels sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, and Campbell exited the game with a 3-1 lead. Right-hander Kevin McCoy came on with the bases loaded and one out, but it took him five batters before the second out was recorded. Tanner Vavra singled in a run, making it 3-2, and McCoy then walked Ryan Walker with the bases full, tying the game at three. Luis Caballero followed with an error at short, giving the Kernels a 4-3 lead. Logan Wade brought home two additional runs on a single to right, and Chad Christensen capped off the inning with a run- scoring fielder's choice.

In the blink of an eye, Clinton was down 7-3. And in the blink of an eye, a narrow strip of heavy rain unleashed on Ashford University Field in the bottom of the seventh. The grounds crew was unable to roll the tarp across the field in time, and 41 minutes later, the game was called official.

Before the rain came, the LumberKings opened the scoring, tallying three runs in the third inning. Kernels left-hander Lewis Thorpe retired the first eight batters he faced, but Caballero's first double of the season began a two-out rally. After a Thorpe wild pitch moved Caballero to third, Aaron Barbosa lined an RBI single to left. Jack Reinheimer was then hit by a Thorpe pitch in the dirt, and on the back end of a double steal, Chantz Mack smoked a two-run single to center, pushing Clinton's lead to 3-0.

Once Cedar Rapids' downpour of runs finished, the L'Kings chipped away, scoring one run in both the sixth and the seventh. With light rain beginning to fall, Caballero, who reached on an error with one out in the seventh, stole second base. And when the torrential rains came, Caballero promptly stole third and scored on Mitch Garver's throw which sailed into left.

The errant throw made it clear that playing conditions were unplayable at the time. Both teams headed to their respective clubhouses, and after lengthy discussions between the umpires and managers, the game was called.

Clinton is now 0-4 in rain-shortened games this season. The LumberKings, who scored first in the game - the 54th time they've done that this season - watched another lead slip away. When scoring first, Clinton has now suffered a league-high 25 losses.

Mack's two-out, two-run single in the third pushed his batting average with runners in scoring position to .444 (20-for-45). He was the only LumberKing to notch multiple hits.

Brandon Bixler (6-4) picked up his sixth win in relief for Cedar Rapids after allowing one earned run in two innings pitched. Hudson Boyd benefitted from the rain and nailed down his seventh save - and third against Clinton - despite getting just two outs.

The LumberKings will send right-hander Carlos Misell (7-8, 4.08) to the mound against Kernels right-hander Ryan Eades (5-9, 6.54) Monday night at Ashford University Field for the four-game series finale. First pitch is set for 6:30 PM CT. The game can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, wcciradio.com, and lumberkings.com.

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Midwest League Stories from July 13, 2014


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