Kernels fall to Clinton, 5-4, as playoff hopes take a hit

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Kernels have lost a season-high three games in a row. What horrendous, rotten, awful, hideous timing.

A 5-4 defeat Friday night to Clinton at Veterans Memorial Stadium means the Kernels no longer have control of their own fate when it comes to clinching a Midwest League playoff spot in the first half. That kind of stinks for a club that has played pretty consistent baseball and been one of the top two teams in the Western Division for most of these first 2 1/2 months of the season.

'It doesn't feel great,' said Kernels outfielder Christian Cavaness. 'We know now if we go out and win these last two games, then we've done all we can do at this point. I think that's our focus right now. Just go win the games that we can. If it's meant to be for us, those (other) teams will help us get into the playoffs.'

Cedar Rapids is 37-31, 1 1/2 games behind Kane County for first place in the division with two games to go, as Cavaness mentioned. Quad Cities has come on strong down the stretch here and pulled into a tie for second place.

Kane County has two remaining games at home with Wisconsin. Quad Cities has two at Beloit.

If everyone wins out, the River Bandits would get that division wildcard playoff spot by .002 percentage points. Quad Cities has had two games canceled by weather, meaning it will play 68 first-half games to Cedar Rapids' 70.

Kane County will finish with only 67 first-half games.

'Leave it out there and see what happens,' said Kernels Manager Tommy Watkins. 'It's just fun to have a chance to play for something.'

The Kernels lost two of three this week at Quad Cities, which has been significant, and they have gone 1-5 this week. They've been in virtually every game, but have just seemed to lack that big hit, that big pitch and that big defensive play.

Same deal here.

'I guess it's a little bit of all that,' Watkins said. 'We haven't played bad baseball ... We gave up a couple of two-out hits tonight that hurt us, and we didn't get many.'

A Cavaness three-run triple in the bottom of the first inning gave Cedar Rapids a 3-1 lead, but Clinton (31-34) tied it with runs in the second and fourth and went ahead, 4-3, with a run in the sixth. The Kernels tied it back up in the seventh on a two-out balk, but Clinton got the winning run in the eighth when pinch-hitter Dimas Ojeda singled home Yojhan Quevedo from second.

Reliever Ryan Mason (0-1) took the loss. The teams play again Saturday night at 6:35.

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