Sports stats



Cedar Rapids Kernels

Stankiewicz Tosses 3.2 Scoreless Innings in Relief, Leads Kernels Passed Timber Rattlers 6-4

August 18, 2023 - Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA -Coming out of the bullpen Friday night, Kernels reliever John Stankiewicz spun 3.2 scoreless innings to help lead Cedar Rapids over Wisconsin 6-4.

After a victory in game three of the series on Thursday, it did not take long for the Kernels to grab the lead on Friday night. With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Emmanuel Rodiguez walked, and Ben Ross singled to put two on. After a strikeout, Andrew Cossetti walked to load the bases for Misael Urbina, who opened the scoring with a two-out, two-run double to lift Cedar Rapids ahead 2-0.

In the top of the second, it was Wisconsin's turn to get on the board. After a walk and a single put two on, Je'Von Ward put Wisconsin on the board with an RBI single to cut the Kernels' lead in half at 2-1.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Kernels would further grow the lead they would never lose. After a Cossetti walk and two strikeouts, a runner was on first base with two outs. A Jeferson Morales single put Cossetti in scoring position for Keoni Cavaco, who doubled the Cedar Rapids lead with an RBI single. With the next batter Noah Miller at the plate, Morales came home to score on a wild pitch, and Cavaco moved up to second. Pitches later, Miller ripped an RBI double to extend the lead to 5-1.

Wisconsin started to claw its way back into the ball game in the top of the fifth. After a one-out Jesse Winker single, Brock Wilken tallied a Timber Rattlers run with an RBI triple. The next batter, Mike Boeve, then scored Wilken with a base hit, placing the score at 5-3.

After those three straight hits, John Stankiewicz came on out of the bullpen and got the Kernels out of the inning, picking up the final two outs of the frame. The Cedar Rapids right-hander went on to pitch 1-2-3 innings in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, finishing his night setting down 11 straight Timber Rattlers across 3.2 shutout innings.

With Stankiewicz throwing up zeros, the tally stayed 5-3 until the bottom of the eighth inning. After an Urbina walk and a strikeout, one was on, and one was out for Morales, who crushed a ball way over the wall in left field for a two-run home run. But Morales did not touch home plate and, on appeal, was called out. The play went down as an RBI triple instead of a two-run home run, leaving the Kernels lead at only 6-3.

In the top of the ninth inning, Wisconsin rallied to get one and bring the tying run to home plate. Darrien Miller walked to lead off the inning, then three batters later, after he moved to second on a wild pitch, scored on a Winker RBI single. With Winker on first base, Wilken came up representing the game's tying run but flew out to left to end the contest in a 6-4 Cedar Rapids win.

The victory is the third in the first four games in the series for the Kernels (69-43) with Wisconsin (48-62) as Cedar Rapids evens the season series at eight wins apiece. Game five of the series is set for Saturday at 6:35 with C.J. Culpepper on the mound opposite Bradley Blalock.

Check out the Cedar Rapids Kernels Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...

Midwest League Stories from August 18, 2023


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.

OurSports Central