Cedar Rapids pitching dazzles in 5-1 win over Clinton

Cedar Rapids, IA - Saturday evening's game at Perfect Game Field in Cedar Rapids followed a fairly similar script to the previous matchup between the Clinton LumberKings (23-27) and the Cedar Rapids Kernels (32-18). After Clinton scored in the top of the first inning for the second consecutive night, Cedar Rapids followed with eight shutout innings.

The LumberKings got things started in a positive fashion vs. starter Zach Tillery (ND) much like they did vs. Friday's starter Keaton Steele. Arby Fields led off the game with a single, and after a pair of errors by the left side of the Cedar Rapids infield, Fields scored the game's first run. But Tillery settled down and followed with three scoreless innings.

Entering the game off of the first complete game of the season for a Clinton pitcher, Lukas Schiraldi (ND) allowed a run in the first inning, but settled into another stellar outing. He gave up a bases loaded sacrifice fly to T.J. White in the first, but allowed only four more base runners over six innings of work.

For the second consecutive game, things unraveled for Clinton in the first inning of bullpen work. Jarrett Brown gave up four earned runs in the sixth inning of Friday's game, while Hawtin Buchanan (L, 0-1) did the same but in the seventh inning Saturday evening. Buchanan walked the leadoff man and then allowed three straight hits. A two-RBI double by Brett Doe put Cedar Rapids ahead 3-1, a lead the club did not relinquish. Edgar Corcino and Nick Gordon also tallied an RBI in the inning. Buchanan retired just one hitter, as Nick Kiel got the final two outs in the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth.

The Cedar Rapids bullpen continued its dazzling work, as Jose Velez, Luke Bard (W, 2-0), and Cameron Booser combined to pitch five shutout innings. The trio allowed only three hits, as Cedar Rapids lowered its league leading team ERA to 2.53.

Chantz Mack and Taylor Zeutenhorst were the only Clinton hitters with multiple hits, while Gordon, Doe, and Corcino each had two hits in the win for Cedar Rapids. Clinton went 0-7 with RISP Saturday night, is 1-20 with RISP in the series, and has left 17 men on base over the first two games of the four game series.

Cedar Rapids will have a chance to earn a series win Sunday afternoon. Zack Littell (1-0, 2.87) will aim to get Clinton back on track, while Sam Gibbons (0-0, 0.00) will make his 2015 debut for Cedar Rapids. First pitch at Perfect Game Field is set for 2:05 CT in Cedar Rapids. The LumberKings broadcast can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, WCCIRadio.com, and LumberKings.com.