Javier, Helman Slam Wisconsin in 10-2 Win

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Wander Javier and Michael Helman both hit grand slams Sunday afternoon for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in a 10-2 triumph against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in front of 2,001 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Cedar Rapids (10-14) tallied a season-high 10 runs bookended by the pair of four-run home runs.

Prior to Sunday’s win, the last Kernels game with multiple grand slams occurred June 5, 2018 in game two of a doubleheader with the Beloit Snappers. Alex Kirilloff and Royce Lewis – who was playing on his 19th birthday – had the bases-loaded blasts in a 14-3 seven-inning victory.

Javier opened the scoring within the third inning. He lifted a two-out grand slam over the wall in left-center field with his first round-tripper of the year to provide a 4-0 Cedar Rapids advantage.

The Timber Rattlers (12-12) cut their deficit in half to 4-2 by end of the sixth. Je’Von Ward’s fifth-inning pinch hit drove in Chad McClanahan, and Thomas Dillard delivered an RBI single during the sixth that brought home David Hamilton.

Helman capped a six-run outburst in the eighth that secured the 10-2 winning margin. Seth Gray scored on a wild pitch before Javier singled in Gabe Snyder. Four batters later, Helman launched his first professional grand slam to left field which was also his career-high-tying fourth homer this season.

Ben Gross tied a personal best with eight strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched before Owen Griffith (2-1) carried Cedar Rapids through the seventh en route to the win. Melvi Acosta retired all six batters that he faced to earn his team-high second save. Wisconsin’s Justin Jarvis (0-4) gave up four runs in six innings and was tagged for the loss.

Coming up, the Kernels will play 12 consecutive road games beginning Tuesday with the opener of a six-game series at the Fort Wayne TinCaps. First pitch for Tuesday’s series opener at Parkview Field is set for 7:05 p.m. ET (6:05 p.m. CT). Kernels coverage of the contest with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will be on www.kernels.com.

Cedar Rapids will host its next homestand from June 15 through June 27. 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.