MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Power and Pitching Lead Kernels Past Bowling Green

Published on July 24, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Bowling Green, Ky. - The Kernels hit three home runs and struck out 15 Bowling Green batters as Cedar Rapids opened up a six-game road trip with a 7-2 win over the Hot Rods on Wednesday night. The Kernels finished with 14 hits on the night and have now won 10 of their last 12 games. The series continues on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

Tanner Vavra, Logan Wade, and Mitch Garver all went deep for the Kernels. It was Vavra's first professional home run and one of his three hits on the night. Garver hit his team-best 13th on the season, his fourth over the last two games after knocking out three long-balls on Monday afternoon.

Three Kernels hurlers combined to punch out 15 hitters, the second-highest strikeout total on the season. Aaron Slegers (7-6) started and picked up the win, going six innings. He struck out seven while allowing five hits, one walk, and two runs (one earned). Jake Reed recorded six outs and six strikeouts over two innings of work. He allowed one base runner to reach via a throwing error. Nick Burdi struck out two over the final inning, allowing no runs or hits.

Bowling Green (13-18, 45-55) got on the board first in the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Darryl George singled to center and a fielding error by center fielder Jason Kanzler allowed Ty Young to score.

The Kernels (17-14, 48-53) took a brief 2-1 lead in the third inning. Varva's home run led off the inning and went to right field, into the visitor's bullpen. Three batters later, Wade nailed his third home run of the season to deep left field.

The Hot Rods quickly tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning. James Harris started the frame with a single to left and later scored on a RBI sacrifice fly to center by Oscar Hernandez.

The game did not stay tied for long as the Kernels moved ahead 4-2 in the fourth inning. Garver's started the inning by drilling his home run down the left field line. The long-ball meant Garver had hit four home runs in his last six at-bats, dating back to Monday. With two outs in the inning, the Kernels collected three straight singles to score another run. Kanzler and Vavra singled before Jon Murphy's RBI single into right-center put the Kernels up by a pair.

In the fifth inning the Kernels tallied two runs for the third straight inning, pushing the lead to 6-2. Wade reached on a fielding error by second baseman Darryl George to begin the inning. Chad Christensen followed with an infield single to put two on with no outs. Garver's groundout moved the pair up 90 feet. Then, a wild pitch by Issac Gil plated Wade to put the Kernels up by three runs. Bryan Haar followed with a RBI single to left to bring in Christensen, making the score 6-2.

The Kernels tallied the final run of the game in the top of the ninth inning. Engelb Vielma singled to start the frame. He scored when Christensen went the opposite way for a RBI double to right, extending the lead to 7-2.

Ben Grisett (0-6) took the loss for Bowling Green, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits in four innings. Gil threw three scoreless innings in relief.

Marion-native, Linn-Mar High School graduate, and former Iowa Hawkeye Andrew Hanse pitched two innings for the Hot Rods. He went the eighth and ninth innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out one and walking one.

The Kernels and Hot Rods square off in game two of the series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Lewis Thorpe (1-1, 5.40) gets the start for the Kernels while LHP Chris Kirsch (5-6, 2.89) takes the hill for Bowling Green.

The six-game road trip also takes the Kernels to Dayton. The team returns home on Tuesday, July 29 to take on the Burlington Bees at 6:35 p.m. It's a Twins Tuesday, sponsored by Great Clips. Fans can get an online coupon from the Kernels Facebook page or email newsletter for a 2-for-1 ticket offer. The Kernels will wear special jerseys, and one lucky fan will win a pair of Minnesota Twins tickets.

Tickets are available at www.kernels.com. You can also visit the Kernels Ticket Office at Veterans Memorial Stadium or call 319-896-7560. Kernels games are broadcast live on KMRY Radio (93.1 FM/1450 AM) and streamed online at www.kernels.com.

Check out the Cedar Rapids Kernels Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from July 24, 2014


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