MWL Cedar Rapids Kernels

Cedar Rapids Holds off South Bend

July 14, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


SOUTH BEND, Ind. - After more than four hours of baseball Tuesday at Four Winds Field, the Cedar Rapids Kernels emerged with an 8-5 victory over the South Bend Cubs. Cedar Rapids (35-26) is now on its second eight-game win streak of the season. South Bend (26-34) started its comeback from a seven-run deficit but came up short in the opener of this six-game series.

Seth Gray quickly launched the Kernels to a 3-0 lead within the opening stanza. Edouard Julien led off with a single, and Alex Isola hit a double. Gray batted next and sent a towering three-run home run to right field for his seventh round-tripper this year.

The Cubs cut the difference to 3-1 on a third-inning RBI single by D.J. Artis, but the Kernels responded with a five-run fourth inning. DaShawn Keirsey got the rally going via sacrifice fly prior to Michael Helman's RBI double. Gabriel Maciel produced a run-scoring single of his own, and Julien singled to drive in two more runs and push the lead to 8-1 Cedar Rapids.

South Bend chipped away over the next several innings but still lost by an 8-5 margin. Tyler Durna's sacrifice fly and Grayson Byrd's RBI force out helped the Cubs during the fifth. Durna picked up a run-scoring single within the seventh, and Jake Slaughter scored due to a wild pitch in the eighth to cap the scoring in Tuesday's opener.

Ryan Shreve (3-1) was credited with the victory after yielding just one run in two innings of relief. Kernels starting pitcher Cody Laweryson registered a game-high six strikeouts with one run surrendered over four full frames.

Cubs starter Max Bain (2-4) gave up three runs and exited in the top of the first. South Bend needed eight pitchers Tuesday in a contest that lasted four hours and seven minutes.

This six-game series resumes Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET (6:05 p.m. CT) at Four Winds Field. Kernels right-hander and South Bend native Tyler Beck (1-1, 1.93) will start against Cubs right-hander Joe Nahas (1-1, 4.09). Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will have the call on www.kernels.com.

Cedar Rapids will host its next homestand Tuesday, July 20 through Sunday, July 25. Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids Kernels home games 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.




Midwest League Stories from July 14, 2021


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