LumberKings hold off Kernel rally to complete DH sweep, 4-3

April 5, 2008 – The Clinton LumberKings used two home runs by Ian Gac and then held off a seventh inning Kernel rally to complete a DH sweep of Cedar Rapids, 4-3, on Saturday evening at Alliant Energy Field in Clinton.

The Kernels took an early 1-0 lead as Tyler Johnson doubled and scored on an Efren Navarro single in the top of the second.  But Clinton scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings off starter Michael Davitt (0-1) to take a 2-1 lead.

Clinton starter Neftali Feliz (1-0) allowed three runs on five hits and struck out six over 6.2 innings to get the win. Fabio Castillo got Jerry Gonzalez-Lopez to ground out with the tying run at second base to end the game and earn his first save.

Navarro led the Kernels offense, going 2-3 with 2 RBI. Jay Brossman delivered a key pinch-hit single in the top of the seventh to cut the lead to 4-3 Clinton.

The final game of this four game opening series is Sunday afternoon at Alliant Energy Field in Clinton. Game time is set for 2 pm.

The Kernels open the 2008 MWL season at home on Monday, April 7 at noon as they host the Quad City River Bandits. Tickets are still available and can be ordered on-line at www.kernels.com, or by calling the Kernel Ticket Office at 896-7560 after 10 am on Monday morning. Gates open at 11 am.

                  Cedar Rapids Kernels at Clinton LumberKings (Game 2)
                   Apr 05, 2008 at Clinton, IA (Alliant Energy Field)

  Cedar Rapids Kernels 3 (1-2)                  Clinton LumberKings 4 (2-1)

  Player                      AB  R  H BI       Player                      AB  R  H BI
  ---------------------------------------       ---------------------------------------
  Fuller, Clay cf............  3  0  0  0       Beltre, Engel cf...........  3  0  2  1
  Romine, Andrew ss..........  2  0  0  0       Lawson, Matt 2b............  3  0  0  0
  Estrella, Hector 3b........  3  0  0  0       Gac, Ian 1b................  3  2  3  2
  Moore, Jeremy dh...........  2  1  0  0       Greene, Jonathan 3b........  1  0  0  0
  Johnson, Tyler rf..........  3  1  1  0       Santana, Cristian dh.......  2  1  0  0
  Rosenbaum, Chris c.........  2  1  0  0       Paisano, David rf..........  3  0  0  0
  Navarro, Efren 1b..........  3  0  2  2       Alfonzo, Miguel lf.........  3  0  1  1
  Giovanatto, Donato lf......  2  0  0  0       Felix, Jose c..............  3  0  1  0
   Brossman, Jay ph..........  1  0  1  1       James, Andres ss...........  2  1  0  0
  Gonzalez, Jerry 2b.........  3  0  1  0       Feliz, Neftai p............  0  0  0  0
  Davitt, Michael p..........  0  0  0  0        Castillo, Fabio p.........  0  0  0  0
   McKiernan, Eddie p........  0  0  0  0

  Totals..................... 24  3  5  3       Totals..................... 23  4  7  4

  Score by Innings                  R  H  E
  -----------------------------------------
  Cedar Rapids Kernels 010 000 2 -  3  5  0
  Clinton LumberKings. 000 112 X -  4  7  0
  -----------------------------------------

  DP - Kernels 1. LOB - Kernels 3; Clinton 4. 2B - Johnson, T(1). 3B - Beltre, E(1).
  HR - Gac, I 2(3). HBP - Greene, J 2; Santana, C. SH - Romine, A. CS - Gonzalez,
  J(1); Greene, J(1).

  Cedar Rapids Kernels           IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Davitt, Michael  L,0-1.....   5.0  5  2  2  0  4   0  0  1  0   19 20   4  6
  McKiernan, Eddie ..........   1.0  2  2  2  0  0   0  0  2  0    4  6   0  2

  Clinton LumberKings            IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Feliz, Neftai  W,1-0.......   6.2  5  3  3  2  6   0  0  0  0   23 26   3 10
  Castillo, Fabio  S,1.......   0.1  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0    1  1   0  1

  HBP - by Davitt, M (Greene, J); by McKiernan, E (Greene, J); by McKiernan, E (Santana,
  C).

  Strikeouts - Romine, A; Estrella, H; Moore, J 2; Johnson, T 2; Lawson, M; Santana,
  C; Alfonzo, M 2. Walks - Moore, J; Rosenbaum, C.

  Umpires - HP: Antonio Gutierrez  1B: Joe Hannigan
  Start: 7:15   Time: 1:41   Attendance: 908