Captains Top Kernels in 19-18 Thriller

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Lake County scored the final three runs of the game in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday night to outlast Cedar Rapids in a shootout 19-18.

Lake County got the offense going in the top of the first inning. Tommy Hawke walked to start the game. After he stole second, he stole third and scored on an Anthony Martinez RBI groundout to put the Captains on top 1-0.

The Captains blew it open in the second. Lake County sent 11 to bat in the inning and scored eight times in the frame to jump in front 9-0.

The Kernels began to rally back in the bottom of the second. Singles from Danny De Andrade and Jose Salas put two on for Byron Chourio, who made it 9-2 with a two-run double.

In the third, Cedar Rapids continued to creep back. In his high-A debut, Vahn Lackey homered to start the inning to make it 9-3. After an Eduardo Tait single, JP Smith II lined a two-run home run to left to cut the deficit to 9-5.

After a Dauri Fernandez solo home run for Lake County pushed the lead back up to 10-5 in the top of the fourth, Cedar Rapids got within one in the bottom half. A Yasser Mercedes single and a Lackey walk put two on for Smith, who plated a run with an RBI single. A batter later, a De Andrade RBI double made it 10-7 before a Jose Salas two-run single made it a one-run game, 10-9.

In the top of the fifth, Lake County again gained separation. For the second time in the game, 11 Captains came to the plate, and this time, six runs scored in the inning to extend the lead to 16-9.

This time the Kernels came all the way back. First, in the fifth, an error put a runner on for Mercedes, who lined a two-run home run to right to trim the Lake County lead to 16-11.

Then, in the eighth, the Kernels took the lead. A Lackey walk and a Tait single put two on for Smith, who drove in his fourth run of the game with an RBI single. After a De Andrade walk, an RBI single from Salas cut it to a 16-13 game. With the bases still loaded, walks from Chourio and Andy Lugo brought the Kernels back within a run at 16-15. With the bags still full, Lackey singled to right to drive in two, and after an error on the play, a third run came in to score to put Cedar Rapids in front 18-16.

In the top of the ninth, Lake County fired back. A walk followed by a pair of singles made it 18-17 and put runners on the corners with one out. After a walk loaded the bases, an error plated two and put the Captains back ahead 19-18.

In the bottom of the ninth, a trio of hit-by-pitches loaded the bases with two outs, but Cam Schelke got out of the jam for Lake County to preserve the 19-18 win.

The loss drops the Kernels to 45-74 on the season. The final homestand of the season continues Wednesday at 12:05. Reed Morning gets the start for Cedar Rapids opposite Harrison Bodendorf.

Calvin Christoforo

Broadcast and Media Relations Coordinator

Cedar Rapids Kernels High-A Affiliate Mi