LumberKings Drop Pair - Kernels to Playoffs

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (June 16, 2019) - The Cedar Rapids Kernels completed their sweep of the Clinton LumberKings to punch their ticket to the playoffs with a pair of wins on Sunday afternoon at Perfect Game Field. Clinton (33-36) scored just three runs over the series sweep, dropping the first game of the day 1-4 to the Kernels (39-31) and game two 1-8.  
GAME ONE
The first game of the day picked up in the second inning after Saturday night's contest was suspended after one inning with the LumberKings trailing 2-0 following a Jared Akins two-run home run.
When action resumed in the top of the second, Kernels pitching behind Kai-Wei Teng suffocated Clinton batters with the strikeout. Teng (2-0) earned the win for Cedar Rapids with a 4.1 inning outing in which he allowed a run on three hits while walking three and striking out six. By the end of the game four Kernels pitchers combined to strikeout 13 LumberKings batters.
Clinton's only run of the game came across in the top of the third. Two walks and a Bubba Hollins single to right brought home a run that cut the deficit to one run.
Cedar Rapids added to their lead with an unearned run in the fifth. One inning later, in the sixth, they stretched their lead to three. Akins led off with a triple to left center and scored on an Andrew Bechtold sacrifice fly to center.
Jake Walters, who started for Clinton, was hung with the loss for a one inning outing. Walters (0-2) allowed both of his runs on the first inning Akins home run to left - hit third of the year against LumberKings pitching.
Moises Gomez earned the save for the Kernels with two perfect innings of relief. The save was his third of the year and included five strikeouts of the six batters he set down.
GAME TWO
Tanner Andrews started the second game of the day and was hung with the loss for allowing both of the Kernels three runs rallies. Ben Rodriguez was a one-man rally in the bottom of the first launching a three-run home run to put Cedar Rapids in front for good.
Andrews (2-3) logged 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on six hits while walking one and striking out six. The second rally of the game for the Kernels came in the bottom of the fifth when Andrews failed to get through the inning - allowing all three runs on three hits.
Clinton's only run of the game belonged to J.D. Osborne who slugged his fourth home run to open the second inning. The LumberKings failed to scored again and ended each of their three games in the series having scored just one run.
Zach Neff was credited with the win after Kernels starter Austin Schulfer failed to qualify for the win. Neff (3-1) turned in two innings of shutout work on two hits while walking none and striking out three.
Cedar Rapids added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double from Gabe Snyder. The runs were not needed as the Kernels clinched the first half Wild Card for the Western Division in to return to the playoffs for their seventh straight season.
The LumberKings will now take the next three days off for the All-Star Game before resuming the 2019 season with the start of the second half. Clinton will open the half on the road in Wisconsin against the Timber Rattlers on Thursday, June 20^th.
 
About the LumberKings
The Clinton LumberKings, the only remaining Charter Member of the Midwest League, are in their 64th season in the league and their first year of affiliation with the Miami Marlins. They play their home games at NelsonCorp Field a park that has been home for the Clinton franchise since 1937. Since the club's inception, 282 former Clinton players have gone on to reach the Major Leagues. Advertising and tickets for the 2019 season are available by calling (563)242-0727 or by visiting LumberKings.com