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MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Snappers slip past Kernels in opener

July 21, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Paul Rutgers ran threw a stop sign at third base to score the eventual game-winning run for Beloit in a four-run eighth inning as the visiting Snappers put the bite on the Kernels in a 6-4 loss at Veterans Memorial Stadium Thursday night.

Trailing 4-2 as the inning began, Beloit's Johnny Woodard tied the contest up with a line shot over the right field fence off Casey Mutter. The blast took a possible victory out of the hands of Kernel reliever Nick Green. Green, who took over for starter Ronnie Ray at the onset of the fourth inning, threw three innings of one-hit shutout ball.

After Woodard's two-run shot the Snappers kept the offense coming with a base hit by All-Star catcher Javier Sanchez. Closer Mitch Arnold entered the game in place of Mutter and things got better only momentarily as Arnold got Paul Rutgers to ground into a fielder's choice with Sanchez retired at second. However, Rutgers would score all the way from first base on a line drive double by Landon Burt that landed in right field. Rutgers blew threw the stop sign from manager Kevin Boles but scored anyway as the throw from Jordan Renz was well off line. Burt would eventually score himself when the next batter, Chris Brown, hit a sinking liner to right.

Mutter took the loss for the Kernels, surrendering three runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings pitched. He struck out one and walked two as his ERA ballooned from a team-best 1.69 to 3.75 following the outing.

Beloit got on the board first with two runs in the second inning off starter Ronnie Ray but the Kernels returned the salvo with one of their own in the bottom half of the frame. Nate Sutton led off the inning with a double and scored when Alexi Casilla snuck a ground ball single to right.

Cedar Rapids took the lead in the sixth with a big three-run inning fueled by a two-run single by Renz that plated Sean Rodriguez and Michael Collins. Richard Giannotti helped get the team on the board after he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Renz came up to bat immediately following a Beloit pitching change to add to the lead. The inning could have been bigger but after Renz executed the first portion of a delayed double steal flawlessly, Giannotti was gunned down at the plate by shortstop Trevor Plouffe to end the inning.

Thursday night's game featured plenty of offense as the two teams combined for 22 hits. Casilla and Madrigal each had two hits for the Kernels.

Beloit starter Kevin Slowey pitched a solid game in only his second Midwest League start but did not factor in the decision. The 2005 second round draft pick went 5 2/3 innings and surrendered six hits and four runs for the Snappers before giving way to Jose Mijares after plunking Giannotti with the bases loaded in the sixth. Instead the victory was picked up by Angel Garcia, who threw a hitless seventh inning. J. P. Martinez earned his 12th save by tossing the final two innings and allowing just one hit while whiffing five Kernels.

The two teams are set to tangle again on Friday night during Pat McGrath Used Car Night. A total of four used cars will be given away to lucky fans throughout the game. Game time is 7 p.m. and gates open at 6 p.m. The scheduled pitching matchup features Fernando Rodriguez squaring off against 2004 first round draft pick Kyle Waldrop.

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