Kernels spoil De Vries debut, 7-4

LANSING, Mich. – Billy Amick went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI singles and an RBI double, and the Cedar Rapids Kernels (18-14, 58-40) stopped the Lansing Lugnuts (13-20, 49-50), 7-4, on Thursday night at Jackson® Field™.

The game marked the Athletics organizational debut for the No. 3 prospect in baseball, Leo De Vries, acquired earlier in the day from San Diego in a four-player package for Mason Miller and JP Sears. Batting leadoff and playing shortstop for Lansing, De Vries went 1-for-4 with a single, an HBP, a run scored and a pair of strikeouts.

The Lugnuts were up 2-1 entering the fifth inning, but a Caden Kendle sacrifice fly and an Amick RBI single lifted the Kernels into a 3-2 lead against Lansing starter Grant Judkins.

An inning later, Kendle lined a two-run single and Kyle DeBarge followed with RBI singles in a four-run rally off Henry Gómez, extending the lead to 7-2.

The Lugnuts countered with a Cameron Leary sacrifice fly and a Darlyn Montero RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, but were blanked thereafter in losing a second consecutive game in the series.

In the loss, Judkins allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings, striking out five. Gómez was tagged for four runs on four hits and two walks in 1 1/3 before Blaze Pontes fired the final three innings scorelessly, allowing one hit while fanning three.

Center fielder Pedro Pineda went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base; the 21-year-old is 5-for-9 with two walks and two steals in three games with Lansing.

On deck: Lawrence Butler Bobblehead Night / Knights of Columbus Night with postgame LAFCU Fireworks. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. between Lansing right-hander Sha Tzu-Chen and Cedar Rapids right-hander Matt Gabbert. Tickets are available for purchase at the stadium box office, (517) 485-4500 or by clicking here.

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