Kernels defeat Clinton, 5-4, in 11 innings
Face Burlington in Western Division Finals on Saturday

September 5, 2008 – The Cedar Rapids Kernels advanced to the MWL Western Division finals with a 5-4 win over the Clinton LumberKings in 11 innings on Friday night at Alliant Energy Field in Clinton. The Kernels win the best-of-three series, two games to none. Clay Fuller hit a solo home run in the eleventh inning and Jose Perez (1-0) allowed one hit and struck out five over the final three innings for the win.

Kernels starter Trevor Reckling allowed three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out five over five innings in a no-decision effort. Reliever Tim Kiely held Clinton to a hit and struck out three over 2.2 innings.

The Kernels took a 2-0 lead in the second and Clinton scored four unanswered runs to take a 4-2 lead into the eighth inning. Tyler Johnson singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Colmenares in the eighth and Clay Fuller scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Jeremy Moore.

Clinton starter Michael Main allowed two runs on three hits and struck out seven over 5.2 innings but didn’t figure in the final decision. Chris Dennis (0-1) allowed a run on two hits and struck out two in taking the loss. Justin Smoak was 2-5 with a double and RBI, Tim Smith was 2-3 with an RBI and Mitch Moreland added 2 RBI.

The Kernels now face Burlington in the MWL Western Division Final on Saturday, September 6 at 6:30 pm at Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in the first game of a best of three series. Games two and three, if necessary, will be held at Community Field in Burlington. Gates open at 5:30 pm.

Tickets for Saturday’s game may be purchased on-line at www.kernels.com, or by calling the Kernels Ticket Office at 896-7560 after 10 am on Saturday.

                      Cedar Rapids Kernels at Clinton LumberKings
                   Sep 05, 2008 at Clinton, IA (Alliant Energy Field)

  Cedar Rapids Kernels 5 (2-0)                  Clinton LumberKings 4 (0-2)

  Player                      AB  R  H BI       Player                      AB  R  H BI
  ---------------------------------------       ---------------------------------------
  Amarista, Alexi dh.........  3  0  0  0       Beltre, Engel cf...........  4  1  2  0
   Colmenares, Carlos ph/dh..  0  0  0  1       Lawson, Matt 2b............  3  1  1  0
  Romine, Andrew ss..........  4  0  0  0       Moreland, Mitch dh.........  5  1  0  2
  Estrella, Hector 2b........  4  0  1  0       Smoak, Justin 1b...........  5  0  2  1
  Perez, Julio rf............  4  1  0  0       Smith, Tim rf/lf...........  3  0  2  1
  Fuller, Clay cf............  4  3  2  1       Greene, Jonathan 3b........  5  0  0  0
  Jacobo, Gabe 1b............  5  0  1  1       Santana, Cristian lf.......  4  0  1  0
  Moore, Jeremy lf...........  4  0  0  1        Murphy, Kyle rf...........  1  0  0  0
  Rosenbaum, Chris c.........  1  0  1  1       Felix, Jose c..............  4  1  0  0
   Johnson, Tyler ph.........  1  1  1  0       Stoneburner, Davis ss......  4  0  1  0
   Rosario, Alberto c........  2  0  0  0       Main, Michael p............  0  0  0  0
  Brossman, Jay 3b...........  4  0  0  0        Hamburger, Mark p.........  0  0  0  0
  Reckling, Trevor p.........  0  0  0  0        Ortiz, Joseph p...........  0  0  0  0
   Carmona, Ysmael p.........  0  0  0  0        Flores, Adalberto p.......  0  0  0  0
   Kiely, Tim p..............  0  0  0  0        Dennis, Chris p...........  0  0  0  0
   Perez, Jose p.............  0  0  0  0

  Totals..................... 36  5  6  5       Totals..................... 38  4  9  4

  Score by Innings                       R  H  E
  ----------------------------------------------
  Cedar Rapids Kernels 020 000 011 01 -  5  6  0
  Clinton LumberKings. 001 021 000 00 -  4  9  1
  ----------------------------------------------

  E - Greene, J(2). LOB - Cedar Rapids 6; Clinton 10. 2B - Smoak, J(1);
  Stoneburner(1). 3B - Lawson, M(1). HR - Fuller, C(1). HBP - Perez, J; Fuller, C;
  Beltre, E; Lawson, M; Stoneburner. SH - Beltre, E; Lawson, M. SF - Colmenares,C;
  Moore, J. SB - Fuller, C(1); Beltre, E(1); Smith, T(1); Santana, C(2). CS - Romine,
  A(2); Rosenbaum, C(1).

  Cedar Rapids Kernels           IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Reckling, Trevor ..........   5.0  7  3  3  2  5   1  0  1  0   21 25   5  5
  Carmona, Ysmael ...........   0.1  0  1  1  1  0   0  0  2  0    0  4   0  1
  Kiely, Tim ................   2.2  1  0  0  0  3   0  0  0  0    8  8   2  2
  Perez, Jose  W,1-0.........   3.0  1  0  0  1  5   0  0  0  0    9 10   3  0

  Clinton LumberKings            IP  H  R ER BB SO  WP BK HP IBB  AB BF  FO GO
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Main, Michael .............   5.2  3  2  2  3  7   0  0  1  0   17 21   5  2
  Hamburger, Mark ...........   1.1  0  0  0  0  1   0  0  0  0    4  4   3  0
  Ortiz, Joseph .............   1.0  1  1  0  0  1   0  0  0  0    4  5   1  1
  Flores, Adalberto .........   1.2  0  1  1  1  2   1  0  1  0    5  8   3  1
  Dennis, Chris  L,0-1.......   1.1  2  1  1  0  2   0  0  0  0    6  6   1  1

  WP - Reckling, T; Flores, A. HBP - by Reckling, T (Beltre, E); by Main, M (Perez, J); by
  Carmona, Y (Stoneburner); by Carmona, Y (Lawson, M); by Flores, A (Fuller, C).

  Strikeouts - Amarista, A 2; Romine, A; Estrella, H 2; Perez, J; Fuller, C; Jacobo,
  G; Moore, J 4; Brossman, J; Beltre, E 2; Lawson, M 2; Greene, J; Santana, C 3;
  Murphy, K; Felix, J 2; Stoneburner 2. Walks - Colmenares,C; Romine, A; Estrella, H;
  Rosenbaum, C; Lawson, M; Smith, T 2; Felix, J.

  Umpires - HP: Ben Karis  1B: Tom Honec
  Start: 7:00   Time: 3:29   Attendance: 1036