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MWL Cedar Rapids Kernels

Encarnacion-Strand Stays Blistering Hot, Headrick Deals in 9-3 Kernels Win

April 9, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - Christian Encarnacion-Strand gave the Cedar Rapids Kernels another incredible performance at the plate on Saturday afternoon while starter Brent Headrick retired the first 14 men he faced and struck out eight to lead the club to a 9-3 win over the Beloit Sky Carp. Encarnacion-Strand went 5-for-5 with a home run and five runs batted in, pushing his two-game 2022 RBI count to 14 with nine hits in his first 10 at-bats.

Headrick dealt for the Kernels in his CR debut, taking a perfect game into the fifth and allowing just two hits and two runs with eight strikeouts. He piled up 19 swinging strikes on 80 pitches on the way to his first win of the season.

The Kernels opened the scoring in the first as Wander Javier plated Encarnacion-Strand with a groundout to short. Anthony Prato put another run on the board with an RBI single in the second, followed by a two-run double down the line off the bat of Encarnacion-Strand.

Javier plated Encarnacion-Strand with a single in the fourth, then Beloit scored for the first time in the fifth on a two-run, two-out homer.

Alerick Soularie singled to open the home half of five, then Charles Mack doubled off the right field wall. Following a groundout, Prato bounced a ball to third that drew a throw home which Soularie beat to make it 6-2. Encarnacion-Strand then ripped an RBI single to plate Mack.

Not finished just yet, Encarnacion-Strand demolished a 407-foot two-run opposite-field home run in the seventh for the final two Kernels tallies.

Cody Laweryson allowed just one run while striking out three over 3.0 frames in relief of Headrick, then Matt Mullenbach struck out one in a scoreless ninth.

The finale of the season-opening series is set for Sunday, April 10 with a 2:05 p.m. start at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Sunday is a Kids Eat Free Sunday with a Pregame Quarter Hunt on the field at 1:15 p.m.

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