Wizards conjure late rally to beat Kernels, 7-5

May 2, 2008 – The Fort Wayne Wizards conjured up a three run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the first game of a three game series, 7-5, from the Cedar Rapids Kernels Friday night in Fort Wayne.  Angel Mercado laced a based loaded triple off Kernels reliever Milan Dinga (0-1) with two outs in the eighth inning for the win.

Ivan Contreras led the Kernels offense, going 2 for 4 with a HR and two RBI. The Kernels have homered in their last six games and seven of their last eight. Jay Brossman was 2 for 3 with two doubles and Andrew Romine was 2 for 4 with a double as the Kernels had nine hits in the game.

Kernels starter Robert Fish allowed four runs on nine hits over five innings in a no-decision effort. Reliever Brian Chambers walked two over two innings of work, but didn’t give up a run. Fort Wayne reliever Jackson Quezada (1-0) struck out three over the final two innings to get the win.

The Kernels and Wizards play game two of this three game series Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm as Jordan Walden starts for the Kernels. Listen to John Rodgers call all the action on the internet at www.kernels.com, or in eastern Iowa on 1450 KMRY.

The Kernels return home on Monday, May 5^th and open a three game series with the Peoria Chiefs and their hall of fame manager, Ryne Sandberg. This is the ONLY time during the 2008 regular season the Chiefs come to Cedar Rapids. Tickets are available on-line at www.kernels.com, or by calling the Kernels Ticket Office at 896-7560 from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

                       Cedar Rapids Kernels at Fort Wayne Wizards
                   May 02, 2008 at Fort Wayne, IN (Memorial Stadium)

  Cedar Rapids Kernels 5 (14-12)                Fort Wayne Wizards 7 (12-15)

  Player                      AB  R  H BI       Player                      AB  R  H BI
  ---------------------------------------       ---------------------------------------
  Moore, Jeremy lf...........  5  0  0  0       Durango, Luis lf...........  4  0  0  0
  Romine, Andrew ss..........  4  1  2  0       Cumberland, Drew ss........  4  1  1  1
  Navarro, Efren 1b..........  5  1  1  1       Zawadzki, Lance 2b.........  5  0  0  0
  Brossman, Jay 3b...........  3  1  2  0        Parrino, Andy 2b..........  0  0  0  0
  Perez, Julio rf............  3  0  0  1       Baum, Justin 3b............  4  2  1  0
  Fuller, Clay cf............  3  0  1  1       Mercado, Angel dh..........  5  2  4  5
  De Los Santos, Anel c......  4  1  1  0       Martinez, Luis c...........  3  0  2  0
  Collet, Cody dh............  4  0  0  0       Chalk, Brad cf.............  3  0  1  0
  Contreras, Ivan 2b.........  4  1  2  2       Carrasco, Felix 1b.........  3  1  1  1
  Fish, Robert p.............  0  0  0  0       Carvajal, Yefri rf.........  3  1  1  0
   Chambers, Brian p.........  0  0  0  0       Hefner, Jeremy p...........  0  0  0  0
   Dinga, Milan p............  0  0  0  0        McDaid, Derek p...........  0  0  0  0
                                                 Harrington, Allen p.......  0  0  0  0
                                                 Quezada, Jackson p........  0  0  0  0

  Totals..................... 35  5  9  5       Totals..................... 34  7 11  7

  Score by Innings                    R  H  E
  -------------------------------------------
  Cedar Rapids Kernels 021 000 200 -  5  9  1
  Fort Wayne Wizards.. 012 001 03X -  7 11  2
  -------------------------------------------

  E - Brossman, J(3); Baum, J(6); Martinez, L(3). DP - Kernels 1; Fort Wayne 1. LOB -
  Kernels 7; Fort Wayne 11. 2B - Romine, A(3); Brossman, J 2(11); DeLosSantos(5);
  Baum, J(6). 3B - Mercado, A(1). HR - Contreras, I(1); Mercado, A(3). SF - Fuller, C.
  SB - Romine, A(13); Zawadzki, L(6).

  Cedar Rapids Kernels           IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Fish, Robert ..............   5.0  9  4  4  4  2   1  0  0  0   23 27   6  5
  Chambers, Brian ...........   2.0  0  0  0  2  0   0  0  0  0    6  8   2  4
  Dinga, Milan  L,0-1........   1.0  2  3  3  2  2   0  0  0  0    5  7   0  1

  Fort Wayne Wizards             IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Hefner, Jeremy ............   2.1  4  3  3  2  2   0  0  0  0   11 13   3  2
  McDaid, Derek .............   1.2  1  0  0  0  1   1  0  0  0    6  6   1  3
  Harrington, Allen .........   3.0  4  2  2  1  3   0  0  0  1   12 14   4  1
  Quezada, Jackson  W,1-0....   2.0  0  0  0  0  3   0  0  0  0    6  6   1  2

  WP - Fish, R; McDaid, D. PB - DeLosSantos(6).

  Strikeouts - Moore, J 3; Romine, A; DeLosSantos 2; Collet, C 2; Contreras, I;
  Durango, L; Zawadzki, L; Baum, J; Carvajal, Y. Walks - Romine, A; Brossman, J;
  Perez, J; Durango, L; Cumberland,D; Baum, J; Martinez, L 2; Chalk, B; Carrasco, F;
  Carvajal, Y.

  Umpires - HP: Ben Karis  1B: Brent Rice
  Start: 5:00   Time: 2:57   Attendance: 2495

  Fish, R faced 2 batters in the 6th.