Fort Wayne Wizards at Cedar Rapids Kernels
May 6th, 2004
| Fort Wayne |
|
|
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
9 |
16 |
1 |
| Cedar Rapids |
|
|
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
12 |
4 |
E-Ciriaco, Kendrick, Brown, Touchstone, Hunter, LOB FW-12, CR-10, 2B-McRoberts, Morton, Kendrick, HR-Pickens, Maher, Brown, SACB-Cosby, SB-Wahlbrink, Rodriguez, CS-Ramos
HB-Pali (Hayhurst), Ramos (Touchstone), McRoberts (Hunter), Wahlbrink (Hunter), Pickens (Hunter), SO-Wood
Tim Daub, Darren Budahn
T-3:39, A-2,093
How They Scored
Top 2nd
Drew Macias singled and went to third on pitcher Nic Touchstone's errant pickoff throw and scored on Skip Adams groundout. Colt Morton and Casey Baker singled, and Morton scored on Peeter Ramos' single. Baker scored while Ramos was in a rundown between first and secon.
Bottom 2nd
Brian Wahlbrink reached on a bunt single, stole second and scored on a fielding error by second baseman Howie Kendrick.
Bottom 6th
Kendrick doubled and scored on Pali's single off the second baseman's glove.,br>
Top 7th
Mark McRoberts and Wahlbrink were hit by pitches. Jordan Pickens hit a three run home run to center.
Bottom 8th
Kendrick and Pali singled and scored on Bobby Wilson's ensuing single to center. Matt Brown hit a two out, two run home run.
Top 12th
Morton and Juan Ciriaco singled. McRoberts hit a two out, two run double down the third base line.
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Jeff Johnson @jeje66
Mark McRoberts will get most of the kudos. It was his two out, two run double down the third base line in the 12th inning that game the Fort Wayne Wizards a 9-7 win Thursday afternoon over the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
But don't forget Drew Macias. The Fort Wayne centerfielder made a beutiful full out diving catch of a potential winning 10th inning gapper by Sean Rodriguez that kept the game going long enough for McRoberts to be the hero. Or the co-hero.
"That was a big momentum swing," Fort Wayne manager Randy Ready said, "That would have ended the game right there, but Macias comes up with the big grab. It took us a few more innings to get going, but we battled well and came out on top."
The Kernels (16-11) battled well, too, knotting things at 7-7 with a four run eighth inning. Matt Brown's two out, two run home run to left tied the game and produced the loudest cheer of the day from 2,097 fans at Memorial Stadium. Cedar Rapids then looked poised for victory in the ninth and 10th innings.
The Kernels had the winning run at second base with one out in the 10th inning, but Brandon Wood struck out and cleanup man and .352 hitter Matt Pali hit a hard grounder that Wizards first baseman Fernando Valenzuela Jr. fielded on his backhand and flipped to pitcher Ryan Klatt covering first for the third out. In the 10th inning the Kernels had runners on the corner with two outs. Rodriguez picked on the first pitch from reliever Leo Rosales (0-1) and sent a shot to the gap in right center. But Macias was shading the right handed hitting Rodriguez slightly the opposite way and got a good jump. At the last second, Macias made a headlong dive and snared the ball, providing a catch that would easily be an ESPN Web Gem.
"I knew I hit it good," Rodriguez said, "I was hoping it would fall. i saw the guy moving over. I saw him dive, and it was like, 'Well, it wasn't ment to be," Meanwhile, Macias 9 for 16 at the plate in the four game series, was thinking just the opposite. "Right before that, the outfielders were talking about how nothing was droping, we were all diving," he said. "It just happend to be the next pitch. A ball in the gap, I had to get dirty and save the game."
Kernels reliever Bob Zimmermann (2-2) took the loss, with two out and two on. McRoberts, a .171 hitter, grounded a ball just fair inside the third base bag, scoring two runs.
The Kernels begin a four game series tonight agains the Burlington Bees
Kernels relief pitcher Von Stertzbach was promoted to high-A Rancho Cucamonga. Stertzbacj had five saves and did not allow a run in nine appearances, spanning 13.2 innings.
Replacing Stertzbach is right hander Wayne Hedden , who was in extended spring training. Hedden 21, and a 44th round draft pick of the Anaheim Angels in 2002, was signed the following year as a draft and follow. Hedden went 2-0 with a save and a 2.76 earned run average in 17 games for Rookie level Provo last season.