Kernels' Palacios homers twice on five-hit night

Two days ago, Jermaine Palacios found out he was going to start in the Midwest League All-Star Game. He celebrated on Friday by having the game of his life.
The Twins prospect homered twice and smacked five hits -- both career highs -- in Class A Cedar Rapids' 15-5 win over Burlington at Perfect Game Field. Palacios also set another career best by scoring five runs while driving in three and doubling twice in a monster performance.

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"He was swinging at good pitches tonight, getting pitches in his zone, and was able to drive a couple out of the park," Kernels hitting coach Brian Dinkelman said. "He's been swinging the bat well all season as one of our most consistent hitters. It's good to see him have a career night."
Palacios started with an RBI double to left in the first against Andrew Vinson to kick off a five-run inning. He singled to left and scored in the second before leading off the fourth with his ninth homer of the season to left.
Needing a triple for the cycle, the 20-year-old reached on an error in the sixth before blasting his second homer of the game to left to lead off the seventh against right-hander Sam Pastrone.
In his third and final shot at the cycle, Palacios ripped a ball down the left-field line against righty Blake Smith in the eighth, but settled for a double and was stranded at third. 

The shortstop finished one run shy of tying the Midwest League record of six runs held by five players, most recently by Kane County's Mark Kotsay on Sept. 2, 1996.
Palacios is back in Class A after posting a .222/.276/.287 slash line with one home run and 28 RBIs over 71 games with the Kernels in 2016 before an injury ended his season. He hit .186/.246/.220 last April, but got off to a flying start this year, finishing the opening month with a .393/.432/.573 line and one homer before blasting six long balls and slugging .463 in May.
"I think the main thing is just confidence," Dinkelman said. "Last year, he was 19 in this league and got off to a slow start, which hurt his confidence. Playing in cold weather for the first time, he never got rolling and got hurt. This year, he got off to a good start, has been [doing well] in the cage and it carried over into games. He's been doing well for us all season."
The 6-foot, 145-pound native of Venezuela entered the season with four home runs in 177 Minor League games, but he's tied for third on the circuit with 10 through 54 contests. Palacios' league-leading 46 runs and 128 total bases are already career highs, and his 35 RBIs are two shy of matching his high-water mark set across two levels in 2015.
"He definitely got a little bigger since last year, put on a little weight and is maturing, just getting older," Dinkelman said. "As you get older and mature, balls are gonna go further.

"During Spring Training, he worked with hitting coordinator [Rick Eckstein] on a new stance, more upright, and he's taken to it well. Ever since he made that adjustment, he's had good success with it. Once that kind of stuff works and you have success with it, you get confidence and can build on it throughout the season."
Twins No. 7 prospectTravis Blankenhorn, No. 10 prospect Lewin Diaz and designated hitter Mitchell Kranson -- all of whom will join Palacios as All-Star starters for the West Division -- enjoyed three-hit games. Catcher Ben Rortvedt and second baseman Brandon Lopez each drove in three runs as Cedar Rapids set season highs with 15 runs and 22 hits.
Clark Beeker (6-2) gave up four runs on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts in six innings for the Kernels.