Kernels Slug Past River Bandits 9-7
Published on July 2, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa - Cedar Rapids scored five of its nine runs across the final three innings Wednesday night to win its second game of the road trip, 9-7, over Quad Cities.
The River Bandits opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Asbel Gonzalez dropped down a bunt single. After he moved to third on a two-base error, he scored on a balk to put the River Bandits in front 1-0.
That was the lone run allowed by Kernels starter Riley Quick on the night. Quick went four strong innings, allowing one run on two hits with seven strikeouts.
Cedar Rapids took its first lead in the top of the second. Enrique Jimenez worked a walk to begin the inning, and the next batter, Caden Kendle, leaped Cedar Rapids in front 2-1 with a two-run home run.
The Kernels added to the lead in the fifth. A Yasser Mercedes single and two walks loaded the bases with one out. After a Brandon Winokur sacrifice fly made it 3-1, a Dameury Pena RBI single put Cedar Rapids ahead 4-1.
In the bottom of the inning, the River Bandits got a run back. Jose Cerice singled, moved to second on a bunt and scored on an Angel Acosta RBI single to cut the Cedar Rapids advantage to 4-2.
Quad Cities grabbed its first lead in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs and the bases empty, back-to-back home runs from Luke Pelzer and Derlin Figueroa tied the game at 4-4. A Cerice double, followed by a Tyriq Kemp RBI triple, pushed the River Bandits in front 5-4 before another Acosta RBI hit made it 6-4.
Graham Brown swung back in the top of the seventh. Henry Kusiak singled in front of Brown, who tied the game at 6-6 with a two-run home run to left.
The River Bandits again punched back in the bottom of the inning. Blake Mitchell connected on a one-out double and scored two batters later on a Pelzer RBI hit to put Quad Cities back ahead 7-6.
In the top of the eighth, the Kernels countered. Jimenez worked a one-out walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a passed ball. After a Kendle walk put runners on the corners, Danny De Andrade pulled Cedar Rapids even with an RBI groundout. With Kendle now on second, Mercedes put the Kernels back in the lead at 8-7 with an RBI single.
The Kernels added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. A Brown walk and a Winokur single put two runners on. After a double steal moved them both into scoring position, an Eduardo Tait sacrifice fly extended the Cedar Rapids lead to 9-7.
Mitch Mueller came out of the Cedar Rapids bullpen and locked down the win. Mueller tossed two scoreless innings with four strikeouts to earn his first high-A save in the 9-7 victory.
The win improves the Kernels to 33-41 on the season and to 2-8 in the second half. The series in Quad Cities continues Thursday at 6:30. Ivran Romero gets the start for Cedar Rapids opposite Kendry Chourio.
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