Quad City River Bandits at Cedar Rapids Kernels
May 20th, 2004
| Quad City |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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1 |
0 |
0 |
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3 |
0 |
0 |
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4 |
9 |
2 |
| Cedar Rapids |
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2 |
1 |
0 |
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0 |
1 |
0 |
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1 |
1 |
X |
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6 |
12 |
0 |
E-Taylor, Spataro, LOB QC-4, CR-11, 2B-Gomon, Wood 2, Brown, 3B-Rodriguez, SACF-Johnson, Wilson, Brown, SB-Cosby, Rodriguez, Balkcom
WP-Simonitsch, PB-Johnson, BB-Peel
Mark Ripperger, Clint Mahan
T-2:29, A-1,914
How They Scored
Bottom 1st
Quan Cosby singled, stole second and went to third on Howie Kendrick's single. Bobby Wilson scored Cosby with a sacrifice fly, and Matt Brown doubled in Kendrick
Bottom 2nd
Sean Rodriguez singled, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
Top 4th
J.R. Taylor singled and scored on Dusty Gomon's two out double.
Bottom 5th
Brandon Wood and Wilson singled. Wood scored on Brown's sacrifice fly.
Top 7th
Brock Peterson, Gomon and Omar Burgos singled to load the bases. Josh Johnson scored Peterson with a sacrifice fly. Justin Arneson singled in Gomon and Ryan Spataro singled in Burgos.
Bottom 7th
Matt Pali reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Rodriguez double.
Bottom 8th
Aaron Peel walked and scored on Wood's two out double to left.
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Jeff Johnson @jeje66
The Anaheim Angles hope someday you'll see Brandon Wood and Sean Rodriguez playing for them. You don't spend two of your top three draft picks on guys if you don't think they'll eventually make it to the show, let alone shell out a report $2.1 million in signing bonuses.
The 19 year old duo have a ways to go before being big league read, but you can already tell their collective futures are very bright. Take last night at Memorial Stadium as proof.
Rodriguez had to hits, including a two out, go ahead RBI triple in the seventh inning that helped the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a 6-4 victory over the Quad City River Bandits. Wood added three hits, including an eighth inning insurance run batted in. "They're getting better. They're making adjustments," said Kernels maanger Bobby Magallanes. "Those two guys are two of the youngest guys in the league. To think last year at this time, they were in high school. But their makeup is off the charts. They have no fear. They know they have a good chance to get a hit every time they are up."
Especially lately. Wood, the Angels top draft pick last year, has hit saftley in 11 of his last 12 games, boosting his batting average from .228 to .293. Rodriguez, a third round draft pick last year, has hit safely in 13 of 14 games, raising his average from .170 to .278.
"We both know that we're a long, long ways away." said Wood. "But I can envision us playing in the big leagues together. As far as positions, we could end up anywhere." Wood was drafted as a shortstop and has played there everyday for the Kernels, though there has been talk he'll wind up elsewhere. He's not flashy but makes virtually every play. Rodriguez played shortstop and centerfield in high school and has become the Kernels' jack of all trades guy. Last night he played in left field, and he has spent time this season in center field, right field, third base, shortstop and second base.
Perhaps the best thing about these teenage stars is there is no ego tripping going on between them, no rivalry. "When (Wood) makes it to the big leagues, I'll be as happy for him as I would be for me," Rodriguez said.
The Kernels (23-17) moved into a tie for second place in the Midwest League's Western Division, two games behind front running Kane County, by winning the first game of an important 12 game homestand. Cedar Rapids scored early against Quad City starter Errol Simonitsch, who had a 1.83 earned run average coming in, and had a 4-1 lead going into the seventh.
Quad City (18-21), though scored three times in the seventh against starter Micah Posey and reliever Aaron Pullin (4-1) to tie the game. But Rodriguez put Cedar Rapids ahead in the bottom of the inning with his big hit to the right center gap, scoring Matt Pali.
"We had a team meeting today in which (Magallanes) told us we've got to step it up and win some ballgames and get back into first place." said Wood, whose team has split its last three series. "We need to put a few ins in a row together.