Kirkman, Pen Combine on Five-hit Shutout

Clinton, IA - Left-hander Michael Kirkman and right-handers Chris Dennis and Adalberto Flores combined to clip the wings of the East's first-place team, the South Bend Silver Hawks. The trio combined on a five-hit shutout as the Clinton LumberKings won 3-0 Tuesday night at Alliant Energy Field.

Kirkman set a new career-high with eight strikeouts, showing great command and a nasty curveball right away in the first inning with a pair of looking strikeouts. Although he allowed only two hits and two walks over his five innings, he left with the game still scoreless, ending up with his fourth consecutive no-decision.

Silver Hawks' lefty Tom Layne (L, 4-3) dueled with Kirkman over the first five frames, keeping the game knotted at zero before finally being touched up in the sixth.

Matt Lawson laced a one-out single into right, and Mitch Moreland drew a walk to set the table. Jonathan Greene, named as the Midwest League Offensive Player of the Week a day prior, singled into left to plate Lawson. A bloop single by Cristian Santana loaded the bases, and Miguel Alfonzo ripped a single through the left side to score Moreland. A single through the right side by Carlos Dominguez capped the three-run sixth, sending Greene home.

A 3-0 lead was plenty for Dennis (W, 4-3), who came on in the sixth. He yielded just three hits while striking out five, lowering his pen-best ERA to 1.43. Flores (S, 10) earned his team-leading tenth save, striking out Jimmy Principe looking to end the game.

Dominguez finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 to lead all hitters. Greene's sixth-inning RBI was his 70th, second-most in the league behind Moreland's 73...he finished 2-for-3.

Taylor Harbin went 2-for-4 to register the only multi-hit night for the Silver Hawks.

The win improves the LumberKings to 25-8 against East Division opponents this year, including a 2-1 mark against South Bend.

The LumberKings (20-18) and Silver Hawks (24-14) continue the three-game series tomorrow night at Alliant Energy Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:00 PM. Listen to the game on AM 1340 KROS in Clinton or live on the web at www.lumberkings.com.