Published: April 23, 2009 11:40 am      

LumberKings pitcher Hensley improves to 3-0

CEDAR RAPIDS — Steven Hensley won his third consecutive start — all without allowing an unearned run — as the Clinton LumberKings beat Cedar Rapids 4-2 on Wednesday night in Midwest League baseball at Perfect Game Field.

Hensley, a right-hander, became the first three-game winner in the league. He struck out five without issuing a walk. He has yet to allow a walk or earned run in 17 2/3 innings this season.

The Kernels managed eight hits off Hensley and finished the game with 12, but Clinton’s defense came up big on several occasions. The LumberKings turned a double play after a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning. Left fielder Denny Almonte threw out Angel Castillo at the plate for the third out in the second inning when Castillo tried to score from first base on Matthew Crawford’s fly-ball single. Tyson Auer was thrown out trying to steal third base in the sixth after a leadoff double. Finally, right fielder Maximo Mendez threw out Anel De Los Santos for the second out in the ninth when he tried to stretch a double into a triple.

Clinton built a 3-0 lead, scoring single runs in the second, third and fifth innings.

The LumberKings scored without the benefit of a hit in the top of the second inning. Losing pitcher Manuel Flores hit Nate Tenbrink with a pitch to open the inning. Tenbrink stole second base, went to third on Travis Howell’s groundout and scored on Ogui Diaz’s groundout.

Daniel Carroll, who came off the disabled list and went 2-for-4, made it a 2-0 lead in the third. He singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Almonte’s double to left field. Almonte also was 2-for-4 and drove in two runs.

Clinton increased its lead to 3-0 in the fifth when Mario Martinez singled, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Mendez.

Cedar Rapids cut the gap to 3-1 in the sixth, but the Kernels could have done more damage.

Auer led off with a double but Hensley threw him out trying to steal third base. Alexia Amarista followed with a double and scored later on an error.

Each team scored its final run in the eighth.

Clinton scored when Carroll singled with one out, stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by De Los Santos, then scored on Almonte’s single.

Auer got that run back with a leadoff home run in the bottom half of the inning off reliever Keith Meyer. Meyer allowed a pair of singles sandwiched between a pair of fly outs, but Ryan Moorer replaced Meyer and struck out Castillo to end the inning.

The two teams continue their four-game series with a 6:35 p.m. game today.

To make room for Carroll’s addition to the roster, the Seattle organization sent Gavin Dickey back to extended spring training in Arizona. Dickey went 3-for-16 in five games with Clinton.



LUMBERKINGS 4, KERNELS 2

Clinton Cedar Rapids

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Carroll cf 4 2 2 0 Auer cf 4 1 3 1

Almonte lf 4 0 2 2 Amarista 2b 4 1 2 0

Savastano dh 4 0 0 0 Estrella dh 4 0 0 0

Tenbrink 3b 3 1 1 0 Jacobo 1b 4 0 0 0

Howell c 4 0 0 0 Colmnrs 3b 4 0 1 0

Diaz ss 4 0 0 1 Castillo rf 4 0 2 0

Martinez 1b 3 1 1 0 Crawford lf 4 0 2 0

Nunez 2b 2 0 0 0 DLsSantos c 4 0 2 0

Mendez rf 3 0 1 1 Perez ss 4 0 0 0

Totals 31 4 7 4 Totals 36 2 12 1

Clinton 011 010 010 — 4 7 1

Cedar Rapids 000 001 010 — 2 12 3

E — Diaz (1), Perez (3), M. Flores (1), De Los Santos (2). DP — Clinton 1. LOB — Clinton 2; Cedar Rapids 7. 2B — Almonte (4), Auer (3), Amarista (6), De Los Santos (2). HR — Auer (2). SB — Carroll 2 (3), Tenbrink (3). CS — Almonte (2), Mendez (3), Auer (1)

IP H R ER BB SO

Clinton

Hensley (W, 3-0) 7 8 1 0 0 5

Meyer (H, 3) 2⁄3 3 1 1 0 0

Moorer (H, 1) 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 1

R. Flores (S, 2) 1 1 0 0 0 1

Cedar Rapids

M. Flores (L, 1-1) 7 5 3 3 0 3

Armstrong 1 2 1 0 0 1

Scholl 1 0 0 0 0 0

WP — Hensley. HBP — Tenbrink (by M. Flores). U — Charles Billington (hp); Luke Hamilton (b). T — 2:29. Att. — 762.