Kernels bats frozen in season-opening loss

CEDAR RAPIDS - You heard so much about the offensive potential of this Cedar Rapids Kernels team.

There are guys who hit a ton in Orem last season, guys who hit a ton in spring training. There are guys drafted this high, ranked among the top prospects in the Los Angeles Angels farm system.

But on opening night, the bats were very, very silent. The Kernels managed just five hits and struck out 15 times in a 2-0, 10-inning loss to Beloit before 1,357 fans at chilly Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“Real weird for us. Like the Twilight Zone. Strange,” said Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. “I wouldn't have come up here, would have stayed in Arizona if I'd have seen something like that (in spring training). You've got to give their pitchers a lot of credit. No question. They did a great job.”

No question that both teams' pitchers did a great job. They still might be playing had Beloit not used two singles, a hit by pitch and a throwing error to finally put a number on the scoreboard that wasn't a zero.

Michael Gonzales bounced a one-out RBI single to right against reliever David Carpenter, with a second run coming home on the play on a wild throw past third base by cutoff man Casey Haerther. Cedar Rapids had two on with two out in the bottom of the 10th, but Mike Trout - one of two first-round draft picks in the Kernels lineup - bounced into a force play to short to end the game.

The Kernels also blew a chance to win it in the ninth. They had the bases loaded and one out, only to have Randal Grichuk line into a double play to center.

“Adrenalin is running real high, everybody wants to swing toward the fence,” said Kernels shortstop Adam Younger, who had two hits. “The first day is cold, and we're not used to the cold. Great pitching tonight for both teams. I just think it was a little bit of everything.”

On the positive side, there are 139 games to go. And the pitching looks real solid again.

It was an encouraging start for right-hander Garrett Richards, who sliced through a Beloit lineup that included 2007 Minnesota Twins top draft pick Aaron Hicks to the tune of two hits and seven strikeouts in five innings. A first-round compensation pick out of the University of Oklahoma, Richards joined the Kernels toward the end of last season but was shut down after incurring elbow pain before his first outing.

“It's a lot better. There's no pain,” Richards said. “It's a lot different throwing in cold weather, though.

“I thought it was a good outing, My job as a starter is to go out and give us a chance to win. Unfortunately, we didn't win tonight, but I thought we played well as a pitching staff.”