Kernels need extra time for 8-7 victory over Whitecaps

April 26, 2008 – Clay Fuller laced a two out RBI single down the right field line in the bottom of the 11^th inning to score Gordie Gronkowski from second and give the Kernels an 8-7 extra inning win over the West Michigan Whitecaps Saturday afternoon at Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The game was a see-saw affair as the Whitecaps scored two quick runs off Kernels starter Robert Fish, but he settled down and held West Michigan to three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts over five innings.

The Kernels scored five runs in the home third inning with the big blow, a two run home run by Julio Perez in his first game as a Kernel.

West Michigan chipped away and tied the game in the eighth at 5-5. After the Kernels took the lead in the bottom of the eight on a sac fly by Jay Brossman, the Whitecaps took a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth, only to see an RBI double by Gronkowski send the game to extra innings

Gronkowski finished the day 3 for 5 with two doubles and an RBI. Jeremy Moore was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and three stolen bases and Brossman was 1 for 4 with 2 RBI and two runs scored.

Reliever Sammy Leon (1-1) allowed two hits and struck out one over an inning pitched for the win. West Michigan reliever Rudy Darrow (3-1) pitched 1.2 innings and gave up a run on two hits to take the loss.

The win improves the Kernels record to a season best 12-9, and also equals the longest winning streak of the season at three games. West Michigan falls to 12-9.

The final game in this three game series is Sunday afternoon at Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium as Jordan Walden starts for the Kernels against Ramon Garcia for West Michigan. Game time is 2 pm with the gates opening at 1 pm.

It’s a 104.5 KDAT Sunday Family Fun Day where fans can get autographs from the Kernels from 1:20 to 1:40 pm and play Travel Advisors Baseball Vacation Bingo during the game. Nachos, peanuts, popcorn and candy bars are $1 all day. And after the game, run the bases and play catch in the outfield, courtesy of Steak N Shake.

Tickets can be ordered on-line at www.kernels.com, or by calling the Kernels Ticket Office at 896-7560 after 11 am on Sunday morning.

                      W.Michigan Whitecaps at Cedar Rapids Kernels
                  Apr 26, 2008 at Cedar Rapids, IA (Veterans Memorial)

  W.Michigan Whitecaps 7 (12-9)                 Cedar Rapids Kernels 8 (12-9)

  Player                      AB  R  H BI       Player                      AB  R  H BI
  ---------------------------------------       ---------------------------------------
  Peter, Kyle cf.............  4  1  0  0       Moore, Jeremy lf...........  5  2  2  0
  Tucker, Joe dh.............  6  2  3  1       Romine, Andrew ss..........  4  1  1  1
  Bourquin, Ronnie 3b........  4  1  1  1       Brossman, Jay 3b...........  4  1  1  2
  Carlson, Chris 1b..........  5  0  2  2       Perez, Julio rf............  4  2  1  2
  Kaiser, Kody rf............  6  1  2  1       Navarro, Efren dh..........  5  0  0  0
  Ciriaco, Audy ss...........  6  1  0  0       Gronkowski, Gordie 1b......  5  1  3  1
  Bowen, Joe c...............  4  0  1  0       Fuller, Clay cf............  5  0  1  1
  Henry, Justin 2b...........  4  0  1  1       Rosenbaum, Chris c.........  4  0  0  0
  McBratney, Mark lf.........  3  1  1  0       Contreras, Ivan 2b.........  3  1  0  0
  Kibler, Jon p..............  0  0  0  0       Fish, Robert p.............  0  0  0  0
   Krol, Noah p..............  0  0  0  0        Jimenez, Esmerlin p.......  0  0  0  0
   Darrow, Rudy p............  0  0  0  0        Carmona, Ysmael p.........  0  0  0  0
                                                 Brasier, Ryan p...........  0  0  0  0
                                                 Leon, Sammy p.............  0  0  0  0

  Totals..................... 42  7 11  6       Totals..................... 39  8  9  7

  Score by Innings                       R  H  E
  ----------------------------------------------
  W.Michigan Whitecaps 200 010 022 00 -  7 11  1
  Cedar Rapids Kernels 005 000 011 01 -  8  9  1
  ----------------------------------------------
  Note: 2 outs, 1 runner LOB when the game ended.

  E - Ciriaco, A(8); Moore, J(1). DP - Kernels 1. LOB - W. Michigan 11; Kernels 3. 2B
  - Tucker, J(3); Bourquin, R(2); Brossman, J(6); Gronkowski,G 2(2). 3B - Kaiser,
  K(3). HR - Perez, J(1). HBP - Peter, K; Perez, J. SH - Bourquin, R(1). SF - Carlson,
  C(1); Brossman, J(1). SB - Peter, K(7); Moore, J 3(13); Perez, J(1). CS - Romine,
  A(1).

  W.Michigan Whitecaps           IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Kibler, Jon ...............   7.0  5  5  5  1  5   0  0  0  0   25 26   7  8
  Krol, Noah ................   2.0  2  2  2  1  2   1  0  1  0    7 10   1  2
  Darrow, Rudy  L,3-1........   1.2  2  1  1  0  0   0  0  0  0    7  7   0  5

  Cedar Rapids Kernels           IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Fish, Robert ..............   5.0  5  3  3  2  8   0  0  1  0   20 23   4  3
  Jimenez, Esmerlin .........   2.0  2  0  0  1  0   0  0  0  0    7  8   2  3
  Carmona, Ysmael ...........   1.0  1  2  0  0  0   1  0  0  0    5  5   0  3
  Brasier, Ryan .............   2.0  1  2  2  3  1   0  0  0  0    6 10   4  1
  Leon, Sammy  W,1-1.........   1.0  2  0  0  0  1   0  0  0  0    4  5   0  2

  WP - Krol, N(1); Carmona, Y(2). HBP - by Fish, R (Peter, K); by Krol, N (Perez, J).

  Strikeouts - Peter, K 2; Tucker, J; Bourquin, R; Carlson, C; Kaiser, K 3; Bowen, J;
  Henry, J; Brossman, J; Perez, J; Navarro, E 2; Gronkowski,G; Fuller, C 2. Walks -
  Peter, K; Bourquin, R; Bowen, J; Henry, J; McBratney, M 2; Romine, A; Contreras, I.

  Umpires - HP: Jared Gary  1B: Max Guyll
  Start: 2:00   Time: 2:58   Attendance: 1660