Poppen was the starting pitcher last Friday evening, June 23, in a Cedar Rapids loss. His stats: 6 IP, 8 hits, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 2 HR It was Poppen's first start of the second half of the Midwest league season, after pitching a clean inning in the Midwest League All Star game. In th All Star game, Poppen had a strikeout and two groundouts, shortstop Palacios to first baseman Diaz.