Smith hurls complete game as Kernels win third straight
July 5, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
July 5, 2005 - Jesse Smith did something no other Kernels pitcher has done this year in the team's 7-3 victory over the Ft. Wayne Wizards at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.
Smith threw the team's first nine-inning complete game of the year and held the Wizards to just five hits as the white hot Kernels won their third straight and improved to 8-5 in the second half. Thanks to a Quad City loss, Cedar Rapids is just one game out of first place in the Western Division.
Michael Collins extended his hitting streak to a team-best 10 games and the Kernels got home runs from Drew Toussaint and Jordan Renz in the victory.
After the Wizards scored a single run off Smith in the first the Kernels went to work with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Alexi Casilla hit safely in his eighth game with a lead off bunt single then stole second and moved to third when the throw by Ft. Wayne catcher Colt Morton went off line. Nate Sutton doubled in Casilla then scored himself when Freddy Sandoval boomed a triple to right center for his team-leading 45th RBI of the season. Collins then doubled to left to score Sandoval and extend his streak. He would scored on an errant fielder's choice when Warner Madrigal grounded to Matt Bush at short. Bush fired to Baudilio Figueroa at third but the Wizard third sacker couldn't make the catch to get Collins at third and the ball skittered to the wall.
In the third inning Toussaint led off by lining a shot to right. The opposite field knock was his 11th of the year and moved him out of a tie with Madrigal for the team lead in long balls.
The Wizards picked up two in the fifth when Yordany Ramirez smacked a two-run bomb off Smith but that would be the last time the visitors would touch the Kernel right-hander for anything more than a mere hit.
Toussaint added an RBI single in the seventh and Renz deposited a Matt Varner offering over the wall in right in the eighth.
The stars of the night were clearly Smith on the hill and Collins at the plate. Smith improved to 4-5 on the year. The Australian catcher was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Over his last 10 games Collins has collected 18 hits in 36 at bats for a .500 average.
The Kernels will look to extend their winning ways during another KKRQ Buck-A-Cup Wednesday night at the stadium as they continue their four-game set with the Wizards. Game time is 7 p.m. and gates open at 6.
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