1-run woes continue for Cedar Rapids Kernels

 How can one team play so many close baseball games?

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have had 24 games this early Midwest League season, and 10 of them have been decided by one run. That includes Monday night's 4-3 loss to the Peoria Chiefs at Memorial Stadium.

 Three Kernels games have gone into extra innings, another six have had two-run outcomes and four more have had three-run outcomes. There are no blowouts here, just consistent nail biters.

What gives?

"We're not a real potent offensive club," said Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. "We don't score a ton of runs, and our pitching has been really steady. That's really it. We usually play steady enough baseball to stay in ballgames."

"I believe it," Kernels catcher Beau Brooks said, when informed exactly how many close games his team has had. "I don't know that you can pinpoint any one thing. I think it's a lot of different things. When it comes to those close games, we need to find a way to scratch out a few more wins."

This was a toughie for the Kernels (12-12), considering Brooks hit a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth. Kyler Burke came right back for Peoria (12-11) to score Rebel Ridling (what a great baseball name) with a two-out, game-winning double to dead center in the top of the ninth.

That ruined a good relief outing from Francis Cabrera (1-3), who had an unsightly 22.55 earned run average coming in, but who threw shutout innings in the seventh and eighth. The Kernels had two errors and were outhit, 12-7, but somehow gave themselves a chance to win late.

"Sloppy," Mosiello said. "I didn't like the feel. We were lucky to have a two-run homer to tie it up. They weren't ready to play, either. It was two teams who were not really ready to play, and they got the best of us ... We were just a step behind tonight in everything we did. This was the first day I was actually disappointed in the (preparation)."

You see a lot of things if you go to the ballpark long enough. Other than errors, you saw a couple of ejections last night.

This hullabaloo actually began in the top of the second inning but didn't come to a head until the fourth. Josh Vitters, the parent Chicago Cubs No. 1 draft pick in 2007 and top prospect according to Baseball America, pulled a ball down the left-field line, over the foul pole and over 8th Ave. SW. 

The mammoth shot was called foul by home plate umpire Greg Stanzak, to the chagrin of Vitters and Peoria Manager Marty Pevey, who briefly argued. In his next plate appearance, Vitters fouled a ball off his leg that landed in front of the plate and was fielded by catcher Brooks.

Stanzak called Vitters out, with the Cubs' top pick jawing at the umpire around the home-plate umpire and getting tossed. Vitters then threw his bat toward the Chiefs dugout, walked a few steps and flung his batting helmet down the first-base line, narrowing missing Pevey, who was arguing with the umpire.

The kicker was Stanzak eventually had a meeting with base umpire Adam Schwarz and came to the conclusion it was indeed a foul ball. Michael Brenly, son of Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly, came into the game to pinch hit mid at-bat.

The tantrum will cost Vitters monetarily and perhaps a suspension. He'll be able to afford whatever fine comes his way, considering he signed for $3.2 million as an 18-year-old out of an Anaheim, Calif., high school.

The Kernels hit the road for six straight games to South Bend and Quad Cities before returning home May 12 to host Wisconsin. Cedar Rapids added catcher-outfielder Roberto Lopez to the active roster Monday. He hit .400 last season at Rookie-level Orem, nearing winning the Pioneer League's triple crown. The former University of Southern California player went 0-for-4 Monday night with a pair of strikeouts.