On to Clinton - Kernels shut out LumberKings, 3-0, in game one

September 3, 2008 – The Cedar Rapids Kernels took the first game of their best-of-three Division Semi-Final matchup with the Clinton LumberKings on Wednesday night at Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Kernels starter Esmerlin Jimenez (1-0) scattered two hits and struck out five over seven scoreless innings for the win.

Jeremy Moore got the Kernels on the board in the third inning with a solo home run to deep right center. The Kernels added another run on an RBI single by Andrew Romine in the sixth and then Romine laid down a perfect bunt on the suicide squeeze to score Moore in the eighth.

Naldy Calderon and Eddie McKiernan came on from the bullpen to keep the LumberKings at bay with McKiernan picking up the save.

Clinton starter Blake Beavan (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out four over 6.1 innings. Cristian Santana was 2-4 and Engel Beltre was 1-3 with a double for Clinton.

The scene now shifts to Alliant Energy Field in Clinton for game two as lefty Trevor Reckling starts for the Kernels against Michael Main for Clinton. First pitch is set for 7 pm and you can listed to all the action on the internet at www.kernels.com, or on the radio home of Kernels baseball in eastern Iowa, 1450 KMRY AM.

If the Kernels advance to the Division Finals, they will host on Saturday, September 6 at 6:30 pm if they play Burlington, or on Sunday, September 7 at 5:00 pm, if they play Kane County. Burlington defeated Kane County, 5-3, to take a 1-0 series lead. Visit www.kernels.com for up to date playoff information.

                      Clinton LumberKings at Cedar Rapids Kernels
                  Sep 03, 2008 at Cedar Rapids, IA (Veterans Memorial)

  Clinton LumberKings 0 (0-1)                   Cedar Rapids Kernels 3 (1-0)

  Player                      AB  R  H BI       Player                      AB  R  H BI
  ---------------------------------------       ---------------------------------------
  Beltre, Engel cf...........  3  0  1  0       Amarista, Alexi dh.........  3  1  1  0
  Lawson, Matt 2b............  3  0  0  0       Romine, Andrew ss..........  4  0  2  2
  Moreland, Mitch dh.........  3  0  0  0       Estrella, Hector 2b........  4  0  0  0
  Smoak, Justin 1b...........  3  0  1  0       Perez, Julio rf............  4  0  1  0
  Smith, Tim rf..............  4  0  0  0       Fuller, Clay cf............  3  0  1  0
  Greene, Jonathan 3b........  3  0  1  0       Jacobo, Gabe 1b............  4  0  2  0
  Santana, Cristian lf.......  4  0  2  0       Brossman, Jay 3b...........  3  0  0  0
  Felix, Jose c..............  4  0  0  0       Rosario, Alberto c.........  3  0  0  0
  Stoneburner, Davis ss......  2  0  0  0       Moore, Jeremy lf...........  3  2  1  1
  Beavan, Blake p............  0  0  0  0       Jimenez, Esmerlin p........  0  0  0  0
   Dennis, Chris p...........  0  0  0  0        Calderon, Naldy p.........  0  0  0  0
                                                 McKiernan, Eddie p........  0  0  0  0

  Totals..................... 29  0  5  0       Totals..................... 31  3  8  3

  Score by Innings                    R  H  E
  -------------------------------------------
  Clinton LumberKings. 000 000 000 -  0  5  2
  Cedar Rapids Kernels 001 010 10X -  3  8  1
  -------------------------------------------

  E - Greene, J(1); Stoneburner(1); Jimenez, E(1). DP - Cedar Rapids 2. LOB - Clinton
  8; Cedar Rapids 6. 2B - Beltre, E(1); Amarista, A(1). HR - Moore, J(1). HBP -
  Beltre, E. SH - Fuller, C(1). SB - Santana, C(1); Estrella, H(1). CS - Romine, A(1);
  Perez, J(1).

  Clinton LumberKings            IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Beavan, Blake  L,0-1.......   6.1  7  3  2  1  4   0  1  0  0   28 29   9  7
  Dennis, Chris .............   1.2  1  0  0  0  1   0  0  0  0    3  4   0  2

  Cedar Rapids Kernels           IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Jimenez, Esmerlin  W,1-0...   7.0  2  0  0  5  5   0  1  1  0   21 27   9  5
  Calderon, Naldy ...........   1.0  2  0  0  0  1   0  0  0  0    5  5   0  2
  McKiernan, Eddie  S,1......   1.0  1  0  0  0  1   0  0  0  0    3  3   0  1

  HBP - by Jimenez, E (Beltre, E). BK - Beavan, B(1); Jimenez, E(1).

  Strikeouts - Lawson, M; Moreland, M 2; Smoak, J; Smith, T 2; Felix, J; Romine, A;
  Estrella, H; Perez, J; Brossman, J 2. Walks - Lawson, M; Moreland, M; Smoak, J;
  Greene, J; Stoneburner; Amarista, A.

  Umpires - HP: Tom Honec  1B: Ben Karis
  Start: 6:30   Time: 2:37   Attendance: 1029