KT 63.28—Series 1 review @ Twin Cities

[JRamirez]

The TWC RM lived up to the fantastic preview they got and took two of three from the visiting Kernels, and the RM scored eight runs in each the first two games, before succumbing to Arnold Cantrell in Game 3.

In Game 1 the RM jumped out to a 7-1 lead against Darth, er, Garth Dobbs, dubbed Le Métronome before the season due to his rhythmic consistency. The only tok-tok from the Metronome in his first start was steady delivery of bases on balls—in 2.1 IP he walked six, including four in the second inning. He also gave up a three-run homer to SS Randall Gray.

Des Moines rallied with four runs in the 7th to narrow the lead to 7-6: LF Ken'ichi Okubo (about to have a monster year?) hit a three-run blast against Andrés Gonzáles. 2B Jesús Rosito seemed to love being given the starting job at second: he doubled his first two times up. Alonso Flinn got three hits. In the end the score was 8-6. Brooks got the win, Dobbs lost.

Game 2 was a forgettable 8-2 loss as reigning FL MVP Raúl 'Scooter' Gallehos went 4 for 5 (3 doubles) with 5 rbis. Micah Harrington managed to pitch six but he lost his fifth straight decision in a Des Moines uniform. Ouch. Scott Everard allowed three in relief.

Game 3 was what Kernels fans were waiting for: a win! Arnold Cantrell stymied the TWC offense on seven hits in 6.2 innings, allowing no runs. Enzo Bouton, who—let's face it—is going to have control problems, walked six in 7.2 innings (he threw 149 pitches!). Three of the five runs he gave up were marked as unearned. Okubo took the starter deep for his second three-run shot of the opening series. SS Gongora added a two-run double and that was the scoring. Final DM 5, TWC 1. And the Kernels hit up Banff for Outward Bound Program the next day before returning to Iowa for their 2063 home opening series.