Bechtold, Martinez Highlight 4-3 Win

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - Andrew Bechtold's tiebreaking home run and Jose Martinez's scoreless pitching led the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a 4-3 win Wednesday against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in front of 2,938 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Cedar Rapids (36-30) is still one game behind the Burlington Bees (37-29) for a first-half playoff berth.
Bechtold broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning with a decisive round-tripper. He lifted a solo home run down the right-field line that gave Cedar Rapids a 4-3 lead. Wilfred Salaman (4-4) gave up the solo shot and was charged with the loss Wednesday.

Martinez (4-1) tossed three shutout innings to earn the victory. He left a pair of inherited runners stranded in the fifth and pitched into the eighth. His scoreless streak of 16.1 consecutive innings is now the longest streak by any Kernels pitcher this year.
Moises Gomez relieved Martinez and collected the final five outs of a 4-3 victory against Wisconsin (29-36). Gomez picked up his second save in as many opportunities as Cedar Rapids clinched a series win by taking a 2-0 edge in this three-game set.
The Timber Rattlers and the Kernels opened the scoring with two-out, two-run doubles during the second inning. Korry Howell, who played at nearby Kirkwood Community College, put Wisconsin ahead on his two-bagger. Gabriel Maciel hit the game-tying double for Cedar Rapids and secured a career-high 24-game on-base streak in the process.
Both teams traded runs in the fifth inning as well. Chad McClanahan's RBI single sent the Timber Rattlers back in front, but Yeltsin Encarnacion responded for the Kernels with a sacrifice fly that plated Estamy Urena.
The first half of this six-game Kernels homestand ends Thursday with the finale of a three-game series with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will call the game on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY and also online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com, and MiLB.TV. Mediacom will have a tape-delayed broadcast of the game that will air on a later date.
First Federal Credit Union Big Screen Thursday invites fans aged 18 and older to pick up a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three 50-inch big screen TVs that will be given away at the contest. 94.1 KRNA Thirsty Thursday offers $2.00 deals for 12 oz. regular draft beer and 20 oz. bottled soda and water. College Night includes a $9.00 package for a club ticket and two regular hot dogs available to students that present a college ID at the Kernels Ticket Office.
Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids Kernels home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.