Canterino Wins 4-0 Combined Shutout

GRAND CHUTE, WIS. - In a matchup between 2019 draft picks, Matt Canterino and the Cedar Rapids Kernels defeated Ethan Small and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers by a final score of 4-0 at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wander Javier went 4-of-5 with two singles and two doubles as Cedar Rapids (31-22, 70-53) earned a 2-1 series victory.
Canterino (1-0), who was drafted in the second round by the Minnesota Twins notched his first professional win during Friday's rubber game. Canterino recorded a career-best five shutout innings and posted a personal-high-tying five strikeouts. He faced one batter over the minimum and only allowed two batters to get on base.

J.T. Perez and Erik Cha each pitched two scoreless frames in relief within the 4-0 two-hitter. Perez gave up three walks but still managed to keep the shutout intact. Cha was perfect over the final two innings to end the game.
The Kernels picked up a 3-0 lead against Small (0-1) in the first inning. Yunior Severino's two-run double plated Spencer Steer and Javier. An error late in the play allowed Severino to reach third base, and he scored on a two-out single by Tyler Webb. Small, the 28th overall pick as chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers, finished with a career-high eight strikeouts over four frames, but the first runs allowed in his professional career forced him into his first professional loss.
Javier tagged Joey Matulovich for a run during the fifth to increase the lead to 4-0 Cedar Rapids. Steer hit a leadoff single prior to a walk for Gilberto Celestino. Javier followed with an RBI single to drive in the final run of the game. He hit safely in each of his first four at-bats and tied a personal high for hits that was last matched July 15 in a multi-homer outing against the Lansing Lugnuts.
With the 2-1 series triumph, the Kernels tied the Timber Rattlers (28-25, 59-63) at nine victories apiece within an 18-game season series. These teams will not meet again in the regular season
Coming up, Cedar Rapids continues its 10-game road swing with a four-game series at the Quad Cities River Bandits. Kernels right-hander Tyler Palm (3-7, 3.69) and River Bandits right-hander Jose Bravo (4-4, 3.66) are the scheduled starters for Saturday's series opener. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz covering all of the action on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com and www.kernels.com.
Fans can purchase tickets for all 2019 Cedar Rapids Kernels home games including the playoff opener September 4 against the Quad Cities River Bandits by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.