Garcia Lifts Kernels to 4-3 Triumph

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - A tie-breaking double by Kevin Garcia in the eighth inning Wednesday carried the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a 4-3 win over the Clinton LumberKings at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels grabbed a 1-0 lead in this three-game series against the LumberKings to start a week-long homestand.

The Kernels (24-15, 60-48) struck first within the second inning. Sean Miller hammered a solo shot off Kevin Gadea - his fourth home run of the year - to lead off the inning. Later in the frame, Christian Cavaness reached on a single, advanced due to a balk and then scored during an RBI single by Christian Ibarra for a 2-0 Kernels lead.

Clinton (25-14, 64-45) answered with a home run in the top of the third. Kernels starting pitcher Brady Anderson retired the first eight batters that he faced in his Midwest League debut, but Ricky Eusebio broke through with a solo blast and closed the gap to 2-1 on his fourth round-tripper this season.

During the fifth inning, J.J. Fernandez increased Cedar Rapids' lead to 3-1. Fernandez hit a two-out RBI single that plated Luis Arraez from second base.

The LumberKings evened the score in the sixth, 3-3, but the Kernels escaped the inning with the game still tied. Luis Liberato produced an RBI double to drive in Eusebio, and Logan Taylor singled to score Liberato. Reliever Williams Ramirez would inherit a bases-loaded jam later in the inning, but he struck out the next three batters to end the frame.

The contest remained tied until Garcia's heroics in the eighth inning. Miller's one-out double set up Garcia, who hit a double of his own against reliever Lukas Schiraldi to bring in Miller for the game-winning run.

Kernels relief pitcher Max Cordy (1-1) earned the victory after recording two scoreless innings to finish Wednesday's triumph. Schiraldi (5-4) suffered the loss, giving up the decisive run in just one inning pitched. Eusebio led all hitters by going 4-for-4 with a home run, a run batted in and two runs scored.

This series continues Thursday at 6:35 p.m. with Cedar Rapids right-hander Eddie Del Rosario (3-2, 4.61 ERA) starting against Clinton right-hander Pedro Vasquez (1-2, 2.37 ERA). Catch all of the coverage with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com and MiLB.TV.

Fans aged 18 and older can enter to win a 32" flat screen TV as part of First Federal Credit Union Flat Screen Thursday. It is also Z 102.9 Thirsty Thursday, featuring $2 prices for 12 oz. regular draft beer, 20 oz. bottled soda and water. Plus, Little Caesars College Night offers an $8 deal for a Club ticket and two slices of pizza for students that show a college ID at the Kernels Ticket Office.

Tickets for all Kernels home games are available at www.kernels.com, the Kernels Ticket Office and by calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The ticket office is closed on Sundays except on Kernels Sunday home dates when it will open at 11:00 a.m.