Encarnacion-Strand Walks off Whitecaps on Fireworks Saturday
June 25, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
Cedar Rapids, IA - Cedar Rapids third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand launched a two-out walk off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night to give the Kernels a 6-5 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps. Encarnacion-Strand's heroics were coupled with a clutch eighth-inning Wander Javier three-run bomb as part of a thrilling evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels improve to 44-24 with the win, 1-1 in the second half.
Cedar Rapids opened the scoring in the first as Seth Gray singled and Yunior Severino drew a walk with two away, then Kyler Fedko laced a two-run triple into right to hand the Kernels a 2-0 lead.
The lineup went cold for the next six frames, failing to advance a runner to second base until Dylan Neuse walked and was stranded at second in the seventh. West Michigan plated a run in the third, fifth sixth and seventh to take a 4-2 lead entering the home half of the eighth.
With one down in the eighth, Gray singled and Severino walked to put the tying run on first. Following a flyout, Javier crushed the first pitch he saw off the batter's eye in dead center for a three-run jack - putting the Kernels ahead 5-4.
West Michigan scored a run in the ninth with a solo home run, drawing the game even at five. Encarnacion-Strand provided the walk-off blast with two down and two strikes in the ninth inning, lacing a solo shot over the Cost Cutters sign.
Bobby Milacki earned the win with a scoreless inning of work, scattering a pair of hits in the ninth.
The series finale is set for 2:05 p.m. CT on Sunday.
To keep up to date on information regarding the Kernels 2022 season please visit www.kernels.com or follow our Facebook and Twitter feeds and subscribe to our Kernels email newsletter.
Midwest League Stories from June 25, 2022
- Lake County Achieves a Single-Game Season-High in Home Runs and Walks in 17-2 Trouncing of Dragons - Lake County Captains
- Whitecaps Get Walked off in 6-5 Loss - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Close But No Cigar for TinCaps - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Chiefs Drop Fourth Straight in Walk-Off Loss - Peoria Chiefs
- Bats Arrive Too Late in Bandits' Fourth Consecutive Loss - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Encarnacion-Strand Walks off Whitecaps on Fireworks Saturday - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Captains Defeat Dragons on Saturday Night in Dayton - Dayton Dragons
- Four Late Runs Propel Loons to Series Win in Fort Wayne - Great Lakes Loons
- Sky Carp Score 12 Unanswered to Rout Lugnuts, 14-5 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Sky Carp Pound Lansing, Clinch 5th Straight Series Win - Beloit Sky Carp
- Wisconsin Wins Fourth Straight with 5-3 Victory - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- TinCaps Game Information: June 25 vs. Great Lakes - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- 'Caps 'Cruz' to Victory - West Michigan Whitecaps
- TinCaps Erase 5-Run Deficit, But Lose in 10th - Fort Wayne TinCaps
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