Kings Get "Wild" With Sac Flies

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Kings Get "Wild" With Sac Flies
06/17/2009 11:28 PM ET
By Dave Lezotte / Clinton LumberKings

Beloit, WI - The Clinton LumberKings plated two runs without the benefit of a base hit in the first inning and never looked back, taking the game and the series with a 4-1 win over the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field. The win puts the Kings in a two-way tie for the Wild Card alongside Cedar Rapids.

Terry Serrano and Luis Nunez each drew walks in the first inning as Snappers' right-hander Daniel Berlind (L, 2-7) struggled early. After a wild pitch moved them into scoring position, they both came home in succession on sacrifice flies by Scott Savastano and Kris Sanchez.

The LumberKings extended the lead to 3-0 as Mario Martinez singled with two outs and scored on Jake Shaffer's double to left-center.

Starter Kenn Kasparek yielded three singles in the third, including an RBI single to center by Ramon Santana to plate Dominic De La Osa. That was Kasparek's (W, 4-4) only run allowed on four hits through 5.1 innings. He walked one and struck out four.

The Snappers attempted a comeback in the seventh, loading the bases as left-hander Greg Moviel committed an error following a sac bunt by James Beresford and then walked Drew Thompson. Cheyne Hann then came on to keep the bases loaded, getting Santana to line out and Michael Harrington to pop up.

Hann (H, 3) then struck out the side in the eighth. Closer Ruben Flores (S, 12) entered in the ninth inning and worked around a one-out walk to record the save.

Nate Tenbrink added a sac fly in the eighth for insurance, finishing 1-for-3. Sanchez and Martinez each finished with 2-for-3 games.

The LumberKings (38-28) head to Perfect Game Field in Cedar Rapids to open a four-game series against the Kernels (38-28) First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM. Listen to the game on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at www.kcln.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.