Kernels Rally Back from Five Down, Top River Bandits, 11-8
Published on April 17, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Kernels erased deficits of 5-0 and 8-5 Friday night, coming from behind to knock off Quad Cities 11-8.
The River Bandits got off to a fast start. Tyriq Kemp walked to begin the game, moved to second on a single, to third on a double play and scored on a Ramon Ramirez RBI single to put Quad Cities on top 1-0. After a double and a walk loaded the bases, a two-base error cleared the bases to extend the advantage to 4-0. A second error in the inning scored a fifth run for the Bandits in the frame to make it 5-0.
Cedar Rapids responded right away. To begin the bottom of the first, Marek Houston singled and Eduardo Tait worked a walk to put two on for Khadim Diaw, who singled home a run to cut the deficit to 5-1. After a Brandon Winokur walk loaded the bases, a double play scored a run to make it 5-2. With Diaw still abroad, Rayne Doncon smashed a two-run home run to left to bring the Kernels within one, 5-4.
The Kernels pulled even in the second. With one out, Jaime Ferrer blasted a solo home run to right to tie the game 5-5.
In the third, Quad Cities punched back. Two walks and three steals put runners on second and third before a fielder's choice plated a run to put the River Bandits back ahead 6-5. The next batter, Trevor Werner, doubled down the left field line to grow the lead to 7-5 before an Erick Torres sacrifice fly capped off the inning, making it 8-5.
But that was the end of the River Bandits scoring on the night. Combined between Ivran Romero, Sam Rochard and Eston Stull, the Cedar Rapids bullpen went 5.2 scoreless innings, striking out 11 while allowing just two hits and two walks.
Cedar Rapids began to rally again in the sixth. A Doncon walk and a Jay Thomason single put runners on the corners, and a wild pitch plated a run to make it 8-6.
In the seventh, Houston reached on a one-out single and scored from first on a Tait RBI double. Two batters later, Winokur lined an RBI triple to tie the game again at 8-8.
That stayed the score until the bottom of the eighth. A Thomason single, Ferrer walk and Houston walk loaded the bases for Tait, who dropped in a two-run single into center to put the Kernels ahead for the first time, 10-8. The next batter, Diaw, plated one more on an RBI base hit to lift Cedar Rapids ahead 11-8, the score that would be the final.
The win improves the Kernels to 7-6 on the season and evens the series with Quad Cities at 2-2. The six-game set continues Saturday at 1:05 with Jason Doktorczyk on the mound opposite David Shields.
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