Cedar Rapids sweeps Wisconsin with 3-1 win

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - The Kernels swept the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with a 3-1 win on Thursday night at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in the best of three series. Cedar Rapids advances to the Western Division Championship Series for the third consecutive season.

The Kernels will host the Clinton LumberKings in Game 1 of the Western Division Championship on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. The LumberKings polished off a sweep of Peoria on Thursday night. Clinton finished the regular season with the best overall record in the Midwest League (86-54). The Kernels finished the regular season with a 78-61 record. Cedar Rapids and Clinton split the regular season series, with both teams winning nine of 18 games. Game 2 and a potential Game 3 of the best of three series will be played at Ashford University Field in Clinton. Start times for the games in Clinton have not been announced.

All of the scoring on Thursday night came in the third inning. Wisconsin struck first in the top of third inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Luis Aviles began the inning by lining a single over Kernels second baseman Luis Arraez into center field. Max McDowell then put down a sacrifice bunt, moving Aviles to second base. Corey Ray's RBI single to right scored Aviles for the game's first run.

Cedar Rapids quickly responded and took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third. The Kernels sent eight men to the plate and recorded four hits. Casey Scoggins got things started with a one-out double past by a diving Jake Gatewood at first base. After a groundout, the Kernels collected three straight two-out, run-scoring hits. Arraez's RBI single into left-center plated Scoggins to tie the game 1-1. Zander Wiel then drilled a RBI triple to straight-away center field. Wiel's second triple in two games scored Arraez and gave Cedar Rapids a lead they would not relinquish. Travis Blankenhorn capped off the inning by chopping the ball through the right side for a RBI single to score Wiel, giving the Kernels a 3-1 advantage.

Arraez, the Midwest League batting champion, went 4-for-4 in the game. He went 7-for-9 in the two-game series against Wisconsin. Scoggins collected two hits as the Kernels tallied nine total base hits.

Eduardo Del Rosario (1-0) earned the win for the Kernels, going six strong innings. He allowed one run on five hits while striking out five and walking one. Del Rosario utilized two pickoffs to halt potential rallies by the Timber Rattlers. Del Rosario picked off Ray at second base in the third inning when Ray was in scoring position with one out. Del Rosario then picked off McDowell to end the fifth inning.

Tom Hackimer struck out four over two scoreless relief innings. Aviles singled in the eighth for the only runner against Hackimer. Anthony McIver recorded the save, getting the final three outs while allowing a one-out bunt single to Lucas Erceg.

Marcos Diplan (0-1) struck out eight Kernels over 5 2/3 innings in the loss. He allowed three runs on eight hits with one walk allowed. Scott Grist recorded four outs, allowing one hit. Nathan Griep allowed a walk in scoreless and hitless eighth inning.

Both the Kernels and Clinton have an off-day on Friday. The Western Division Championship series begins on Saturday in Cedar Rapids at 4:05 p.m. The starting pitchers have not been officially announced. Catch the action with Morgan Hawk on KMRY Radio (93.1 FM and 1450 AM), as well as online at www.kernels.com and www.kmryradio.com.