Kernels whack Clinton, decide on playoff rotation

CEDAR RAPIDS - It was a pretty simple decision, yet it wasn't.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have decided on a starting pitching rotation for the Midwest League playoffs. Give yourself a star if you picked Felix Jorge, Sam Gibbons and Keaton Steele, in that order.

That's who it will be when Cedar Rapids plays Quad Cities in a best-of-3 first-round series that begins Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

'Jorge was easy. I think he's earned it,” said Kernels pitching coach Henry Bonilla, before C.R.'s 9-3 win Saturday night over Clinton. 'I think he's been our (top) guy ... He's kept us in every game, gone six or seven innings most of the time. He has earned this spot.”

Jorge has a 2.79 earned run average in 22 starts this season and has been consistent from beginning to end. The 21-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic said he was honored to get the ball for Game 1.

'I feel very good about that. I am happy,” he said. 'I have to be in control. I am going to try and attack the hitters with a first strike. That's important.”

Gibbons, another righty, has been a revelation in the second half. He has a complete-game shutout to his credit and an eight-inning stint a couple of weeks ago where he faced one batter over the minimum in eight innings and struck out 12.

'He has been hot,” Bonilla said. 'He's been able to slow the ball down and spin it really well. In and out of the zone. So we thought, ‘You know what, let's roll with him. He's been pitching well.'”

Steele got Saturday's start and improved his record to 8-4 by throwing six innings. He gave up seven hits and three runs.

He also has pitched his best baseball the second half of the season.

'I thought those were the best three guys,” Bonilla said. 'We were kind of thinking about Steele two, but we just kind of thought ‘Let's see what happens if we put Sam second.'

'I think we've got all the pieces we need. We've got the starting pitching to win a short series, we've got middle guys who can get the job done, we've got (Nick) Anderson now at the back of the bullpen. We've got the guys in their spots.”

The Kernels (76-62, 35-33) handed the league's worst team yet another loss. Clinton is a woeful 45-92 overall.

Chris Paul had a double, triple and two runs batted in for Cedar Rapids. Edgar Corcino had two hits and two walks.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon at 2:05 in the penultimate game of the regular season.

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