Published: August 28, 2008 10:07 am      

Smith leads LumberKings to fourth straight win

PEORIA, Ill. — Clinton LumberKings’ outfielder Timothy Smith recorded both RBIs in a 2-1 win over the Peoria Chiefs on Wednesday.

Smith’s RBIs came in the sixth and seventh innings and the LumberKings’ bullpen put the clamps on a Peoria rally attempt in the bottom of the ninth as they improved to 34-31 in the second half of the season.

Smith hit his 13th home run of the year to start the sixth inning, breaking the scoreless tie that lasted five innings.

Clinton starting pitcher, Michael Main, cruised through the first five innings, giving up only three hits and no runs while striking out five.

In the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Main began to struggle.

He started the inning with a pop out and a strikeout, but Josh Harrison tripled to right to keep the inning alive.

The next batter, Nate Samson, singled to right, scoring Harrison and tying the game at 1-all.

This tie did not last, though, as the LumberKings took advantage of Peoria’s pitching change.

Craig Muschko replaced starter Kevin Kreier and Clinton capitalized.

After an Andres James ground out to short to start the inning, Davis Stoneburner singled to right field.

Engel Beltre followed with a single of his own as the LumberKings threatened.

Matthew Lawson reached on a fielding error by third baseman Jovan Rosa to load the bases with one out.

Smith collected his second RBI of the game as he popped out to right. Stoneburner tagged and scored on the sacrifice.

Midwest League RBI leader, Mitch Moreland couldn’t capitalize on the run-scoring opportunity as he popped out to center field to end the threat.

Clinton had runners in scoring position in the first, fourth and fifth innings, but could not get on the board until the sixth.

The Chiefs loaded the bases in the ninth, but LumberKings releiver Chris Dennis got out of the jam by inducing the game ending ground out after walking two straight batters with two outs.

Joseph Ortiz collected the win for Clinton, improving to 2-0 on the season. He pitched one-and-a-third innings, allowing one hit.

Stoneburner, Beltre, Smith and Moreland each collected two or more hits, with Stoneburner going 3-for-4.

Peoria manager and former Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg was ejected in the fourth inning.

The win is the LumberKings’ fourth in a row and brings their second half record to 34-31.





LUMBERKINGS 2, CHIEFS

Clinton Peoria

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Beltre cf 5 0 2 0 Harrion 2b 4 1 1 0

Lawson 2b 5 0 0 0 Samson ss 4 0 2 1

Smith, T rf-lf 4 1 2 2 Guyer cf 4 0 0 0

Moreland dh 4 0 2 0 Rosa 3b 4 0 3 0

Smoak 1b 4 0 1 0 Bautista c 2 0 0 0

Santana, C lf 3 0 0 0 Opitz pr 0 0 0 0

Murphy, K rf 0 0 0 0 Ridling 1b 3 0 0 0

Dominguez c 4 0 0 0 Johnston dh 4 0 0 0

James, A ss 4 0 0 0 Andersen lf 3 0 1 0

Stoneburner 3b 4 1 3 0 Lara rf 3 0 1 0



Totals 37 2 10 2 31 1 7 1





Clinton 000 001 100 —2

Peoria 000 001 000 —1

E—Main, Rosa. DP—Clinton 1. LOB—Clinton 10, Peoria 6. 2B—Stoneburner, Rosa 2. 3B—Harrison. HR—Smith. CS—Samson. S—Bautista. SF—Smith.

IP H R ER BB SO

Clinton

Main 5 2/3 5 1 1 0 6

Ortiz, J (W, 2-0) 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1

Dennis (S, 4) 2 1 0 0 2 0

Peoria

Kreier 6 6 1 1 0 4

Muschko (L, 4-3) 2 2 1 0 0 2

Vento 1 2 0 0 0 2

HBP—Santana. Time—2:34. Attendance—3,200.