Lewis' Eighth Inning Home Run Lifts Dayton Past Kernels, 9-7
Published on July 24, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
DAYTON, Ohio - Tyson Lewis broke a 7-7 eighth-inning tie with a two-run home run to left to propel the Dragons over the Kernels 9-7 Friday night.
In a game filled with offense, Dayton struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Peyton Stovall singled to begin the frame and scored two batters later on a Julio Carreras RBI double to put the Dragons in front 1-0. Two batters later, a Tyson Lewis RBI single doubled the advantage to 2-0.
Cedar Rapids got on the board for the first time in the second. To begin the inning, Danny De Andrade lined an opposite-field home run to cut the deficit to 2-1.
In the bottom of the inning, the Dragons had the answer. A walk and a Diego Omana double put two runners in scoring position to start the frame. A pair of RBI groundouts scored them both to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Kernels pulled even in the top of the fourth. An Enrique Jimenez walk and a Jose Salas single put two on for Dameury Pena, who plated a run with an RBI double. The next batter, Quinn McDaniel, then ripped a two-run triple to tie the game 4-4.
Dayton again responded in the bottom of the inning. A single and an error put two runners on for Marcus Smith to put Dayton back ahead 5-4 with an RBI base hit.
In the top of the fifth, the Kernels took the lead for the first time. An Eduardo Tait walk, a Graham Brown single, and an error loaded the bases with one out. A Salas hit-by-pitch forced in a run to tie the game before a Pena two-run single lifted Cedar Rapids ahead 7-5.
But the advantage was short-lived. In the bottom of the inning, Victor Acosta singled in front of Jacob Friend, who belted a two-run home run for Dayton to tie the game again, 7-7.
That stayed the score until the bottom of the eighth. Ryan McCrystal doubled to open the inning, and three batters later, Lewis struck a two-run home run to left to put the Dragons in front 9-7.
In the top of the ninth, the Kernels went down in order, and the Dragons hung on for the 9-7 win.
The loss drops the Kernels to 37-55 on the season and to 6-22 in the second half. Game five of the series in Dayton is slated for Saturday at 6:05. Dasan Hill starts for Cedar Rapids opposite Kyle McCoy.
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