
Late Surge Powers Kernels Past River Bandits 4-2
Published on May 8, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa - Cedar Rapids broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the eighth and two in the ninth to grab a lead it would not lose in a 4-2 win over Quad Cities Friday night.
After not leading in the last two losses, the Kernels got on the board first on Friday. With two outs in the top of the third, Jacob McCombs singled to left. After a balk moved him to second, he scored on an error to make it 1-0.
That stayed the score until the sixth. Ivran Romero made his second start of the season and did not allow a run across the first three innings. Behind him, Yehizon Sanchez struck out three across two scoreless innings of relief.
In the last of the sixth, the River Bandits pulled even. Blake Mitchell worked a two-out walk and scored on back-to-back singles from Ramon Ramirez and Luke Pelzer to level the game 1-1.
The Kernels rallied to take the lead back in the eighth. After a pair of strikeouts to begin the inning, McCombs was hit by a pitch and scored all the way from first on a Brandon Winokur RBI double to jump Cedar Rapids back in front 2-1.
The Kernels added two big runs of insurance in the top of the ninth. Khadim Diaw doubled to lead off the inning, and a batter later, Jaime Ferrer launched a two-run home run to left to extend the advantage to 4-1.
Quad Cities got a run back on a sacrifice fly following a Pelzer triple in the bottom of the ninth, but that was as close as it would get in the 4-2 Kernels win.
The victory improves Cedar Rapids to 16-15 on the season and to 2-2 in the series at Quad Cities. The six-game set continues at 5:30 on Saturday with Eli Jones on the mound opposite Emmanuel Reyes.
Midwest League Stories from May 8, 2026
- Walton's Four-Hit Night Leads Captains to 8-6 Win over Loons - Lake County Captains
- Captains Tally Five Extra-Base Hits in 8-6 Win over Loons, Perez Adds Third Homer this Week - Great Lakes Loons
- Eight-Run Third Inning Sinks Chiefs - Peoria Chiefs
- Zach Evans Steals Home for Lone Run As 'Caps Shut Out Sky Carp - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Hansell's Strong Start Not Enough in Bandits' Loss to Kernels - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Big Inning Propels Rattlers to Victory in Peoria - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Late Surge Powers Kernels Past River Bandits 4-2 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Olivo Makes History, Cubs Hammer Lugnuts 14-6 - South Bend Cubs
- Boser Homers Twice in Slugfest Loss - Lansing Lugnuts
- 'Caps Burned by Dragons, 8-0 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Sanchez Blasts 2 Homers, Lorant Fires 7 Scoreless Frames to Lead Dragons to 8-0 Win - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Game Information: May 8 vs. Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins Affiliate) - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Peoria Chiefs Announce Suites for Veterans Program - Peoria Chiefs
- Captains Earn 15-13 Walk-Off Win in Wild Game 1, Split Doubleheader with Loons - Lake County Captains
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Friday (6:35 PM at West Michigan) - Dayton Dragons
- Chiefs Stun Rattlers with Four Runs in Ninth - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Lamkin, Bandits Blank Kernels 2-0 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Loons-Captains Split Marathon Five Plus Hour Doubleheader - Great Lakes Loons
- Flores' Walk-Off Knock Caps Four Run Ninth as Chiefs Stun 'Rattlers - Peoria Chiefs
- Cubs Go Big in Middle Innings, Top Lansing 9-2 - South Bend Cubs
- Lugs' Long Night Ends in 9-2 Loss to Cubs - Lansing Lugnuts
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Cedar Rapids Kernels Stories
- Kernels Walk-Off TinCaps 4-3, Win Fifth Straight
- Winokur and Tait Go Back-To-Back, Kernels Best TinCaps 3-2
- Jones Transferred to Wichita, Mercedes Transferred from Fort Myers, Boadas Activated from 7-Day IL
- Kernels Bash Season-High Five Home Runs, Slug Past River Bandits 10-5
- De Andrade, Ferrer Muscle Kernels Past River Bandits 6-3


