Omarvelous: Poveda One-hits Kernels

Clinton, IA - Nineteen year old right-hander Omar Poveda flirted with his first career no-hitter, settling for a one-hit shutout over eight innings as the Clinton LumberKings edged the Cedar Rapids Kernels 4-1 Sunday afternoon. Poveda's no-hit bid ended with two outs in the seventh as Stantrel Smith sliced an infield single just inside the third base bag. John Whittleman gloved the baseball, but the speedy Smith beat his off-balance throw.

Poveda (10-4) struck out seven and walked three over a season-high eight innings. The win ties him atop the Midwest League with teammate Zach Phillips and two others. Right-hander Josh Lueke worked the ninth inning, giving up a run on two hits as the Kernels avoided the shutout.

Red-hot first-baseman Mauro Gomez helped Poveda's cause with a two-run homer in the fifth. With Chad Ogden aboard via his first L-Kings double, Gomez turned around a 3-2 pitch by Tommy Mendoza in a hurry, reaching the left-field berm for his sixth home run in the last eight days. Clinton led 4-0 after the fifth and never looked back.

Gomez finished the day 1-for-4 with the two RBIs. Whittleman scored the other two runs for the LumberKings, going 1-for-3.

Mendoza (L, 0-3) took the loss for Cedar Rapids, allowing four runs on six hits, including the Gomez blast, walking one while striking out three. Relievers Barrett Browning and Amalio Diaz combined for 3.1 scoreless innings and two strikeouts.

The LumberKings (13-16) and Kernels (14-15) head to New Veterans Memorial Stadium as the home-and-home series shifts to Cedar Rapids tomorrow night. Listen to the game on AM 1340 KROS in Clinton or live on the web at www.lumberkings.com.