Kernels squeeze past Peoria

Mike Scioscia would have been proud. The Cedar Rapids Kernels played some "Angels baseball" to beat Peoria, 2-1, in 11 innings Sunday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

You might not know what that means since the parent Los Angeles Angels aren't very visible around these parts. But "Angels baseball" is essentially scoring a lot of runs the small-ball way: aggressiveness on the basepaths, hit and runs, stealing bases, moving runners over and getting them in.

"Angels baseball. Bunting, hit and runs, everything," said Kernels shortstop Darwin Perez. "It works."

They don't have a patent on it, and they're certainly not the only major league club that plays that way, but the Angels get a lot of publicity for it. They teach their minor leaguers the way, and the Kernels (12-11) are apparently quick studies.

Cedar Rapids was able to break a five-game losing streak in one-run games thusly: a leadoff double in the 11th from Adam Younger, a sacrifice bunt from Anel De Los Santos, and a suicide-squeeze bunt down the third-base line by Perez. It was as Angel as you can get.

"De Lo had a real nice bunt to get me to third," Younger said. "Once I got to third, Coach came up and said 'All right, we're going to do the squeeze right here.' I was kind of surprised. I didn't think he was going to do that there ... Perez laid down an awesome bunt. Those were some pretty nice bunts."

"Obviously it's something we prepare all of our kids to try and do," said Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. "You get certain matches, certain guys, that's what those guys have done. De Lo has done a good job with his bunting game, sacrificing, and Perez can handle the bat in various ways. It was just a great job by both of them."

Mosiello didn't wait around, calling the squeeze on the first pitch from losing pitcher Chris Huseby (0-2). It was a fastball up and away, but Perez was still able to reach out and put the ball down perfectly, even with the infield playing in. By the time Peoria third baseman David Macias was able to pick up the ball, Younger was just a few steps from home plate.

"The pitcher has to jump ahead, it's a good element of surprise, we had the right guy up there," Mosiello said. "It worked out perfectly."

Manuel Flores of the Kernels and Chris Carpenter of Peoria hooked up in a classic starting pitcher's dual, reminiscent of the one they had last week in Peoria.

Carpenter, a third-round pick of the parent Chicago Cubs last year, gave up just one hit in his six innings, striking out eight. The Kernels didn't score against him in Peoria, either.

Lefty Flores did Carpenter three better, throwing the first nine innings and allowing just four hits and no runs. He lowered his earned run average to 1.93. His record is 1-2 because his teammates refuse to score runs for him: none in the last 18 innings of games in which he has pitched and six total in his four starts, four in one game.

"He throws tons of strikes, he can locate all of his pitches, especially his fastball and change," Mosiello said. "He's able to have some quick innings because they are such an aggressive, good offensive club. He's a good matchup (against) them."

Peoria (11-11) scored an unearned run in the 10th to take a 1-0 lead, but the Kernels came back with one of their own. Matt Crawford scored from third when Peoria shortstop Junior Lake booted Gabe Jacobo's broken-bat one-hopper with two outs.

The teams conclude their three-game series Monday night at 6:35.