Gipson-Long dominates, two-out hitting leads Kernels to fifth series win

Peoria, IL – Cedar Rapids Kernels righthander Sawyer Gipson-Long carved over 5.0 scoreless innings of two-hit, no walk baseball while striking out seven as the lineup came through with some clutch two-out hitting in a 7-1 series-clinching win on Saturday evening over the Peoria Chiefs. Three Kernels – Aaron Sabato, Alerick Soularie and Will Holland – had multi-hit games and Anthony Prato added a three-run home run in the ninth to power the lineup. With the win, the Kernels are now 5-0-1 in series this season and improve to 23-9.

Gipson-Long pounded the zone all night, working at a 78% first-pitch strike rate in a duel with Chiefs righty Gordon Graceffo. The Kernels’ righthander threw 43 strikes on 62 pitches on his way to his second win of the season.

The Kernels scored first in the fifth on a little league homer by Alerick Soularie. CR’s DH lifted a triple down the right field line and the cutoff man’s throw sailed off a wall out of play, awarding Soularie home.

With two away in the sixth, Aaron Sabato laced a double down the left field line and scored two pitches later on a rocket single off the bat of Jair Camargo.

Derek Molina tossed 2.0 innings of one-run ball to earn the hold, then Tyler Palm struck out the side in the eighth. Leading 2-1 with two outs in the ninth, five straight Kernels reached base with RBI singles by Soularie and Will Holland, capped off by Prato’s three-run opposite-field smash.

Denny Bentley finished things off with a scoreless ninth inning.

Game six of the series is set for 1:35 p.m. CT on Saturday evening at Dozer Park.

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