Kernels Crush Four Home Runs, Power Past Sky Carp, 9-3

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MWL Cedar Rapids Kernels

Kernels Crush Four Home Runs, Power Past Sky Carp, 9-3

June 21, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Beloit, WI - Cedar Rapids struck for four home runs, matching a season-high, and got great starting pitching from Jose Olivares en route to its first victory in the second half, 9-3 over Beloit Saturday night.

After dropping the first game of the half on Friday, the Kernels came out swinging on Saturday. Following a scoreless first inning, Kyle Hess walked to begin the second, and a batter later, Maddux Houghton opened the scoring with a two-run home run to left to make it 2-0. After a strikeout, Kyle DeBarge singled in front of Brandon Winokur, who matched Houghton with a two-run shot of his own to make it 4-0. Not to be outdone, the next batter, Danny De Andrade, lined a home run to center, going back-to-back with Winokur to make it a five-run lead. After him, Misael Urbina smashed a double and scored on a pair of wild pitches to make it a 6-0 edge.

After Beloit got a run back in the bottom of the second on a Michael Snyder solo homer, Cedar Rapids continued the offense in the third. Luke Napleton walked to open the inning, moved to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch to extend the Kernels' lead to 7-1.

In the fifth, the Sky Carp got back on the board. A hit-by-pitch, single and double-steal put two in scoring position for Eric Rataczak, who plated a run with a sacrifice fly to cut it to a 7-2 game.

But those were the only two runs allowed by Jose Olivares. The right-hander was special in his eleventh start of the season, going six innings for his first time as a pro, while matching a career-high with nine strikeouts compared to no walks in his second win of the year. Behind him, Jeremy Lee did not allow an earned run in two innings of work, and Nick Trabacchi tossed a scoreless ninth in the victory.

With the Cedar Rapids staff locking things down on the mound, the offense kept coming. In the sixth, an error, hit-by-pitch and a groundout put two on for Caden Kendle, who made it 8-2 with a sac fly.

After the Sky Carp scored an unearned run in the eighth, Kyle Hess finished off the Kernels' power surge with a solo home run to right to set the lead back up to six at 9-3, the score that would be the final.

The win is the first in the second half for the Kernels and sets Cedar Rapids at 41-27 on the season. With the series cliched in Beloit, the Kernels wrap up the set on Sunday at 1:05. Cole Peschl gets the start for Cedar Rapids opposite Jake Brooks.

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