Kernels Explode For Eight Runs in an 8-5 Independence Day Win Over Quad Cities

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - For the fourth straight season, the Kernels top Quad Cities on the Fourth of July, scoring eight times on ten hits in an 8-5 win over the River Bandits.

After the Kernels jumped on the board for five runs in the first two innings in game two of the doubleheader last night, it didn’t long for the Kernels to gain the lead Thursday. Kevin Maitan led off the second by ripping a triple, and a batter later came home to score on a Jay Harry RBI groundout to put Cedar Rapids on top 1-0.

In the third, the Kernels blew it wide open. To begin the frame, Misael Urbina singled, and after he stole second, he scored on a Rayne Doncon RBI base hit to double the Kernels lead to 2-0. The next batter, Ricardo Olivar, then upped the CR advantage to 3-0 with an RBI triple and came home to score on a Gabriel Gonzalez RBi base hit to make it 4-0.

In the fifth, the Cedar Rapids offense continued to grow the lead. Harry walked to begin the inning, and after he moved to second, he scored on an Urbina RBI hit.

In the sixth, Ricardo Olivar singled to put a runner on for Gonzalez, who drove in his second run of the night with an RBI double to extend the lead to 6-0.

6-0 was the lead when Kernels starter Ty Langenberg left the game. Langenberg posted his third win with Cedar Rapids not allowing an earned run across 5.2 innings, allowing just a pair of hits while striking out four.

With Langenberg out of the game, Quad Cities got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third and two outs, an error plated a pair to put the River Bandits on the board at 6-2.

In the top of the seventh, Quad Cities got within one. A walk and a single put a pair of runners on base for Carter Jensen, who crushed a three-run home run to make it 6-5.

Up by just the lone run, the Kernels got some much-needed insurance in the bottom of the seventh inning. To begin the frame, Urbina lifted his third hit of the day, and the next batter, Agustin Ruiz, crushed a two-run home run to grow the Cedar Rapids lead to 8-5, the score which would be the final.

The win is the fourth straight over Quad Cities on the Fourth of July and improves Cedar Rapdis to 46-31 on the season and 9-4 in the second half. Game five in the series with Quad Cities is set for Friday at 6:35, with John Klien on the mound opposite Steven Zobac.