Fort Wayne Wizards at Cedar Rapids Kernels
May 5th, 2004
| Fort Wayne |
|
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
12 |
2 |
| Cedar Rapids |
|
|
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
5 |
X |
|
|
10 |
13 |
0 |
E-Ramos, Guthrie, LOB FW-6, CR-10, 2B-Baker, Macias 2, Adams, Kendrick, Balkcom, Brown, 3B-Cosby, HR-Valenzuela (Moreno), SACB-Wood, SACF-Wood, Wilson, SB-Wahlbrink, Cosby, Kendrick 2, Pali, CS-Ramos 2
WP-Guthrie, Upwood, Moreno, HBP-Pali (Guthrie), BB-Maher, Kimpton, IBB-Pali
Darren Budahn, Tim Daub
T-2:39, A-1,719
How They Scored
Bottom 1st
Quan Cosby singled and scored on Matt Pali's single to center
Top 3rd
Drew Macias doubled and scored on Casey Baker's bloop double to right. Baker scored on Peeter Ramos' single.
Bottom 3rd
Cosby singled and scored on Brandon Wood's sacrifice fly.
Top 6th
Fernando Valenzuela Jr. hit a two out, two run home run to right, scoring Brian Wahlbrink
Bottom 7th
Kendrick singled and scored on Bobby Wilson's sacrifce fly to right.
Bottom 8th
Caleb Maher and Nick Kimpton walked. Cosby reached on a fielder's choice with Kimpton safe at second on a fielding error on second baseman Ramos. Kendrick's bloop single to left scored Maher and Kimpton. Cosby and Kendrick then executred a double steal. Pali was intentionally walked to reload the bases.Brandon Balkcom singled through the shortstop hole to score Cosby and Kendrick. Matt Brown's two out double to left scored Pali.
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Jeff Johnson @jeje66
Last night was what the Anaheim Angels drafted Quan Cosby for. It was why they gave him a sizable signing bonus to lure him away from football. He reached base four times, including three times as a leadoff hitter. He scored four runs, stole a base, flew around the basepaths, outran relay throws. He was fun to watch.
"Tonight is what i'd love to do every game," said Cosby after the Cedar Rapids Kernels' 10-4 win over the Fort Wayne Wizards at Memorial Stadium. "Just try to put the ball in play more than anything. Find some holes and get some things going for our team. Steal bases and get myself into scoring position. Do whatever I can to help the club."
The Angels knew it would take some time for Cosby to turn into a good baseball player. He simply hadn't played much of the sport. Cosby, 21, of Waco, Texas, was one of the most highly decorated prep football players in Texas, being named all-state at three positions as a senior. He accepted a scholarship offer for the University of Texas. But the Angels saw his athletic ability and dreamed of a leadoff man. They drafted him in the sixth round of the 2001 amateur draft and shelled out $850,000 to coax him away from football.
"He's a guy who has got raw tools," said Kernels manager Bobby Magallanes. Cosby hit .249 as the Kernels' center fielder last season. He is repeating low-A and has shown glimpses of being the player the Angels know he can be. He has improved defensively. And though he entered the night with a .215 batting average, he has matched his extra base hit total of a season ago (five, including his first two pro home runs). Yeah, he still fails from time to time. But Cosby knows the improvement is coming.
"That's why I try not to get down too much," he said. "These guys in here have been playing all their life, and I really didn't start playing until I got into pro ball. I've just got to keep that in mind. I'm starting to feel real comfortable working on things. The more at bats I get, the better i'll get in every aspectof it."
Last night, Cosby reached on a leadoff infield single in the first and scored a run. In the third, he singled sharpley to right and scored another run. In the fifth, he led off with a triple to right center and scored. In the eighth, he reached on a fielder's choice, stole third and scored again.
"He's a sparkplug," Magallanes said, "If we can get the leadoff hitter on, there are so many things we can do. He's got to realize he is suck a big key to this ballclub."
The Kernels (16-10) are in first place in the Midwest League's Western Divison thanks to a 13 hit attack.
Howie Kendrick played the role of No.2 hitter well with three hits, three runs and three RBI. Six Kernels drove in runs. "When you rack up 13 hits and 10 runs, that's pretty good." Magallanes said. "We were due. I know we're a better hitting ballclub than what we've shown."
Aaron Pullin (3-1) got the win in relief for Cedar Rapids, which broke a 4-4 tie with a run int he seventh inning and five more in the eighth.
The Kernels and Wizards continue their four game series today with the first weekday noon game of the season.
Kernels outfielder Aaron Peel has missed four games in a row with an injured groin. His status is day to day.
Pitcher Rafael Rodriguez, on the disabled list since April 24 with a bad elbow, threw a simulated game Wednesday and looked good. There is still no timetable for his return.