Franco's Grand Slam Propels Lugnuts over Kernels 7-4
Published on June 11, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
LANSING, Mich. - With the bases loaded and no one out in the bottom of the eighth, Carlos Franco crushed a grand slam to lift Lansing ahead 7-4, the score that would be the final in its third straight win over Cedar Rapids Thursday night.
The Lugnuts opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Jared Sprague-Lott worked a walk and scored a batter later on an Ali Camarillo RBI double to put Lansing on top 1-0.
Cedar Rapids pulled even in the top of the second. Khadim Diaw singled to open the inning, and after he moved to third on a Jay Thomason single, he scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 1-1.
The Kernels jumped ahead in the fourth. Diaw doubled again with one out and scored on a Thomason RBI hit to push Cedar Rapids ahead 2-1.
They added on the fifth. To begin the inning, Quinn McDaniel launched his second home run in as many days, a solo shot to right to double the lead to 3-1.
Lansing pulled even in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Gunner Gouldsmith blasted a solo home run to right to make it 3-2. Later in the inning, Carlos Pacheco reached on a single, went to second on a balk and scored to tie the game 3-3 on a Sprague-Lott RBI single.
That stayed the score until the top of the eighth. Marek Houston singled to begin the inning and stole second to move into scoring position. After a groundout moved Houston to third, he scored on a Diaw RBI infield single to put the Kernels back in front 4-3.
In the bottom of the inning, Lansing took the lead back. A walk and three singles loaded the bases to begin the frame for Carlos Franco, who smashed a grand slam to left to power the Lugnuts back in the lead, 7-4.
The Kernels went down quietly in the top of the ninth inning, and Lansing hung on to the 7-4 win.
The loss drops the Kernels to 28-31 on the season and to 0-3 to begin the series in Lansing. The six-game series continues Friday at 6:05; Cesar Lares gets the start opposite Ryan Magdic.
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