Burlington beats Kernels in Game 1, 3-2

BURLINGTON - The bats got packed. So did the gloves and all the other gear.

Everything that was supposed to make the trip to Community Field did last night. Except for the late-inning magic.

Burlington scored three times in the fifth, got a game-saving defensive play in the seventh and held on to beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 3-2, in Game 1 of the Midwest League Western Division championship series. A do-or-die Game 2 is Sunday afternoon at 2 at Memorial Stadium.

The Kernels swept Peoria in two games in the first round with unique ninth and 10th-inning rallies. There were none, unique or otherwise, last night.

“Didn't quite happen,” said Kernels first baseman Gabe Jacobo.

This is how opposite the fortune meter swung against the Kernels. Jacobo crushed a ball leading off the ninth against Burlington closer Blaine Hardy that center fielder Patrick Norris caught at the fence in left-center.

The baseball normally doesn't carry much at all at Community Field.

“Yeah, I thought I got it,” Jacobo said. “He threw a changeup, and I was looking for it ... That one I thought at least would get off the wall."

Speaking of Norris, he made the defensive play of the game and perhaps the series when he fielded Tyson Auer's two-out single in the seventh and threw a one-hop strike to home plate to nail Matt Crawford by a healthy margin. Crawford was trying to score from second base.

“I'd do that a million times. It was two outs, with Crawford,” Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. “They play really shallow in center and left, and they can both throw. I tip my hat. He made a great throw.”

Cedar Rapids scored twice in the first against Burlington starter Manuaris Baez but had a baserunning gaffe in the third that short-circuited a potential big inning. With two on, Alexi Amarista singled to right, with Mosiello holding up baserunner Angel Castillo at third.

Unfortunately, Auer didn't see that and ran toward third, with a rundown ensuing for the first out. Roberto Lopez then flew to shallow right for the second out. A walk to Beau Brooks loaded the bases, but Jacobo grounded into a fielder's choice to short to end the inning.

Kernels starter Ryan Chaffee didn't give up a hit and struck out seven through four innings but couldn't get out of the fifth, as Burlington bunched a walk and four hits for its three runs.

Shawn Griffin's bleeder up the middle just past diving shortstop Darwin Perez scored the tying and winning runs.

“Felt great until the fifth,” said Chaffee, who pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the second that he created with two hit by pitches and a walk. “My curveball, everything was working. I don't know. They just got the hits.”

It's Manuarys Correa (8-10, 4.47 regular season) for the Kernels this afternoon against Sam Runion (5-11, 6.60).

“We're resilient, we'll come back,” Mosiello said. “Hopefully Correa will do a great job tomorrow. He's had a lot of good outings for us, a lot of games that we've needed.”