Crowley, Kernels post 1st shutout since early July

CEDAR RAPIDS - You wonder how Ryan Crowley would have fared had he just stayed in Cedar Rapids all season instead of getting that early May promotion. He probably wonders, too.

“I've learned a lot this year,” the Cedar Rapids Kernels pitcher said after his seven shutout innings lifted his club to a 5-0 win over Beloit last night before 1,506 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium. “Being called up that quick, I don't want to say I wasn't ready for it. But after awhile of good outing, bad outing, bad one, bad one, it just kind of (adds) up.”

The left-hander got five starts in for the Kernels when he was promoted to high-Class A Inland Empire. Things in the hitter-friendly California League didn't go very well, as he went 1-8 with an earned run average of 7.76.

The parent Angels sent him back to C.R. in early August to try and pick up the pieces. Last night was Crowley's first win since June and improved his season record to 3-14.

“It's been a rough one this year,” he said. “It's been a learning experience. I'm happy to be doing well again, building that confidence back up.”

Crowley had only one clean inning (the fifth), but made a lot of good pitches with runners on, working with a quick tempo and pounding the strike zone all night. He allowed seven hits, striking out five, getting A.J. Pettersen on a liner to center with runners on second and third to end the seventh and his night.

Junior Carlin then retired the next six hitters in order as the Kernels (51-83, 19-45) notched their first shutout since July 8. They split four games with Beloit to not lose a series for the first time since July 21-23 against Lake County.

“That's what it's all about right there,” Kernels Manager Jamie Burke said of his starting pitcher. “At the end, he got tired, but I gave him one more hitter. I wanted him to finish (the seventh), I knew he could do it, and he did.”

Andy Workman homered for Cedar Rapids, which scored three runs in the first inning. After the game, outfielder Gary Mitchell was promoted to Inland Empire. He will be replaced on the rost by 18-year-old shortstop Jose Rondon from the Arizona Rookie League.

The Kernels play three games at Peoria beginning tonight, before coming home for three games against Clinton to end their season.

Here is the game boxscore:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/104245283/Scoreboard-Midwest-League-Scoreboard