RiverHawks Double Up CornBelters 5/29/12
By: Scott Leber
Updated: May 29, 2012
LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Rockford
RiverHawks took the series opener from the Normal CornBelters on Tuesday night,
winning 10-5.
The CornBelters jumped out to an early 4-0
advantage on RiverHawks' starter Kasey Kiker, a former first-round draft pick,
but Rockford scored five runs in the third inning and put together a big
four-run seventh, highlighted by a two-run, go-ahead triple by Javier Herrera
to pull ahead of Normal.
"With the hitters we have, we are never going
to be out of the game, "manager Rich Austin said. "We have the capability to
come back at any time."
In the five-run third, the RiverHawks sent 11
batters to the plate as Michael Hur hit a solo homer, his second of the season,
Herrera had a two-run single, and Matt Greener added a sacrifice fly to center
field to put the home team ahead 5-4.
Kiker lasted just three innings, as he gave
way to Jordan Stern (1-0), who gave up only one run on three hits with three
strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings of work to earn the win.
"He (Stern) was throwing strikes, was in the
zone, and got ahead and was able to use his splitfinger," Austin said. "He did a
great job for us."
With the game tied at 5-5 in the seventh
inning, the RiverHawks were able to get to CornBelters' reliever Austin Bailey
(0-1), who gave up four runs, three earned, in two innings of work. Herrera's
two-run triple to right gave the RiverHawks the 7-5 advantage, and they would
score two more in the seventh and one in the eighth on Brandon Anderson's RBI
single to center field. Anderson finished the night 3-for-5 with two runs scored
and an RBI. Herrera finished the game 2-for-5 with four RBI and ran his hit
streak to six games.
The RiverHawks put together long innings at
the plate in the third, seventh, and eighth innings, but they were retired in
order in every other inning.
Mike Lee pitched a scoreless ninth inning
while striking out three batters in a non-save situation. Lee has fanned 10
batters in 4 2/3 innings pitched this season.
The RiverHawks return to action Wednesday
night at 7:05 p.m. at RiverHawks Stadium against the Normal CornBelters for game
two of a three-game series.
