Kernels Pop Captains 7-6
(Eastlake, OH) - Jorge Polanco singled home Jeremias Pineda in the top of the twelfth inning and the Cedar Rapids Kernels (17-8) defeated the Lake County Captains (13-12) by a final of 7-6. The Captains fall to 0-7 in extra innings and are still searching for their first run scored in extra innings on the season. Lake County has played six one-run games in their past seven contests and only won one of those games.
Cedar Rapids scored first in the bottom half of the second inning. The Kernels plated four in the inning to take a 4-0 lead. In the inning, Max Kepler scored on an RBI double from Michael Quesada and it was 1-0. Then one batter later, Jeremias Pineda hit a three run homerun, his second long ball of the season and the score was 4-0.
Lake County made the score 4-1 in the top of the third inning, when Todd Hankins hit his second homer of the season. Hankins homerun, his second on the season, put the Captains on the board and was Todd's first of two hits on the night.
It was a 5-1 game when Pineda doubled and scored on an error in the top of the fourth inning. Pineda had two hits on the night and scored three runs.
Lake County tied the ballgame in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Captains sent nine men to the plate and scored four times in the inning. With two on and nobody out Erik Gonzalez hit his ninth homerun of the season to dead center field. The three run shot made the score 5-4. Later in the inning, Richard Stock doubled and scored on a RBI single from Todd Hankins and it the score was tied at 5-5.
The Kernels took the 6-5 lead on an RBI single from Nike Goodrum in the top of the sixth inning. The one run advantage was erased in the bottom of the eighth inning when Lake County pushed a run across home plate. Richard Stock reached first on a dropped third strike and a wild pitch. The throw down to first sailed down the right field line and Yhoxian Medina doubled him home. The score was even at 6-6.
Dylan Baker (6-5) started the game for Lake County and did not get a decision. Baker pitched just three innings, and he allowed four earned runs on just four hits. Dylan walked five and also struck out the same amount. Baker's scoreless inning streak came to an end at 19 innings. Cody Penny pitched one inning, and allowed an earned run on two hits. Luis Morel entered the game and twirled two and two thirds innings and yielded just one earned run. Morel allowed two hits and two walks. Morel fanned three. Gran Sides pitched one and one third inning and allowed two hits, one walk and he struck out four. Benny Suarez pitched three innings, and allowed two hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Jack Wagoner (2-4) took the loss. Wagoner pitched one inning and allowed one run on two hits and he struck out one.
Cedar Rapids sent RHP Christian Powell (2-3) to the mound to start the game. Powell pitched five innings and allowed seven hits, and five earned runs. Powell walked two and struck out five. The bullpen for the Kernels bullpen pitched six innings and allowed just two hits and one run. They struck out twelve batters in relief. The win went to Alex Muren (5-1) Muren pitched two innings and allowed one hit, with two walks and two strikeouts. The save went to Tim Shibuya his first of the season. Shibuya pitched a scoreless 12th inning.
Thursday night is Thirsty Thursday, presented by ESPN 850 WKNR, featuring a 25-cent beer Happy Hour for one hour before game time and half-price draft beer and fountain soda until 9 PM. A wing and pizza buffet will also be available outside the Corona Castaways Bar, featuring Happy Moose Bar and Grill wing sauces and pizza from Cleveland Pizza Company.
There will also be a special post-game concert on Thursday featuring Festivus, a local band that plays 80's Disco and R&B and 80's favorites, featuring chart toppers from Shania Twain to Santana. They will perform on stage adjacent to Castaways Bar, which will remain open throughout the show.
On Thursday night, The Cedar Rapids Kernels will stay in Eastlake for game two of a three game series. RHP Luis Dejesus (3-9, 6.18) will get the start for the Captains. The Kernels will counter with RHP Josue Montanez (3-2, 5.35). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM from Classic Park.
Individual game tickets for these, and all Captains games, may be purchased at the Captains official website www.CaptainsBaseball.com.