Sammons Stifles LumberKings for 9-2 Win

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - A quality start from Bryan Sammons and a relentless offensive attack highlighted the Cedar Rapids Kernels' 9-2 win Friday against the Clinton LumberKings in front of 2,314 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Jean Carlos Arias finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle while scoring three times and driving in two runs.
Sammons (1-3) recorded a career-high-tying eight strikeouts over six innings pitched in Friday's series opener. He posted at least one strikeout in each frame to match a professional high that was set August 8, 2017 at Wisconsin. Sammons only allowed one run on Ryan Costello's two-out solo home run in the second inning that gave Clinton (24-21) a brief 1-0 lead.

The Kernels (22-21) tied the game during the bottom of the second before taking the lead, 3-1, in the third. Ben Rortvedt's RBI triple in the second drove in Jose Miranda to even the score. Shane Carrier produced a third-inning, go-ahead double that allowed Arias and Alex Kirilloff to come home.
The lead increased to 9-1 by the end of a five-inning scoring streak for Cedar Rapids. Arias and Royce Lewis hit RBI doubles within a three-run bottom of the fourth. Miranda added an opposite-field solo shot in the fifth. Arias collected a run-scoring triple during the sixth and scored on a sacrifice fly from Lewis.
Costello finished Friday's contest with his first multi-homer performance while trimming Clinton's deficit to 9-2. Costello slugged his second two-out round-tripper of the game late in the seventh inning. Nick Brown kept the LumberKings scoreless for the rest of his relief appearance to earn a three-inning save.
Oliver Jaskie (1-5) was dealt his fifth loss in as many starts this month. Jaskie conceded seven runs and a career-high 10 hits over 4.2 innings pitched.
This homestand continues Saturday with a doubleheader that consists of two seven-inning games, and postgame fireworks will follow game two. The twin bill starts at 5:05 p.m., and the second contest will begin approximately 30 minutes after game one ends. Coverage of Saturday's doubleheader will be available on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com, and MiLB.TV.
Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.