MWL Cedar Rapids Kernels

Ernie Yake's Walk-Off Single Caps off Kernels' 6-5 Win in Twelve Inning Thriller

Published on June 16, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - With two-on and two-out in a tied game in the bottom of the 12th inning, Ernie Yake lined a single into right field, scoring Noah Miller from second base to lead Cedar Rapids to its second walk-off win in three games over South Bend, 6-5.

In a game that started off with pitching, Christian MacLeod and Cade Horton went toe-to-toe for the first three innings throwing up zeros on the scoreboard until the Cubs struck first in the top of the fourth. A lead-off James Triantos double put a runner on second for Yohendrick Pinango, who lifted a single into center to make it 1-0 Cubs.

In the bottom half of the fourth frame, the Kernels struck right back. Emmanuel Rodriguez took ball four to begin the inning, and two batters later, Kala'i Rosario smashed his league-best 11th home run of the season out to left to lift Cedar Rapids ahead 2-1.

The lead flipped back into the hands of South Bend in the next half-inning. After a walk from Christian Franklin and a move to second following three unsuccessful pick-off attempts, Ezequiel Pagan tied the game with an RBI single. After a stolen base and a walk, Kevin Alcantara then gave the Cubs the lead at 3-2 with a fielder's choice.

In the bottom half of the inning, the comeback trend continued. After Jose Salas walked and stole second to lead-off the inning, he was struck there until a two-out Tanner Schobel RBI double matched the tallies at 3-3, which was the score after five.

That 3-3 score stayed untouched through the ninth inning, and for just the second time this season, there were extra innings at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

In the tenth, South Bend utilized a bunt to move the runner from second to third, and then a Pegan RBI single put the Cubs ahead 4-3. In the bottom half, the Kernels scored without a hit, and in a three-pitch inning, a bunt moved Noah Miller from second to third, and a sac fly scored him as we were again deadlocked, this time at 4-4 entering the 11th inning.

In the 11th, Bryce Ball immediately gave South Bend a 5-4 lead with a single to right field but was thrown out trying to go to second, clearing the bases and leading to two quick outs to follow. In the bottom half, a throwing error on a groundball hit back to the mound scored Ernie Yake, who entered the game as a pinch runner and re-tied the game at 5-5.

To lead off the top of the 12th inning, Miller at shortstop went to third on a groundball hit to him to erase the lead runner for the first out in the frame, and South Bend could not push a run to the plate after that, keeping the game tied headed to the last of the 12th. After a walk, Noah Cardenas, who was the extra inning rule runner on second base, was picked off for the first out. A single put two on, and then after a strikeout, runners were on first and second for Yake, who produced a game-winning hit into right for the Kernels to walk off with the 6-5 win.

The win sends the Kernels (35-25) to a season-high ten games over .500, while South Bend falls to 28-31, six and a half games back of first place with seven games to go in the first half race. The win drops the Cedar Rapids' magic number down to two, and the Kernels can clinch the Midwest League West first-half title with a win and a Peoria loss tomorrow night. Marco Raya is on the mound trying to accomplish that opposite Brandon Birdsell for the Cubs.

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Midwest League Stories from June 16, 2023


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