Olivar’s Two Home Runs Powers Kernels Past Captains 7-4

Cedar Rapids, IA - Ricardo Olivar smashed a pair of home runs as part of a three-hit, three-RBI night to lead the Kernels to their second straight win over Lake County, 7-4.

For the first time in the series, Cedar Rapids got on the board first. In the bottom of the second, Misael Urbina led off the frame with a walk. After he stole second, he scored two batters later on a Dalton Shuffield RBI single to put the Kernels ahead 1-0.

In the third, Cedar Rapids doubled its lead. To begin the inning, Ricardo Olivar blasted his first homer of the night on a rocket to left field to extend the lead to 2-0.

In the fourth, the Kernels rallied to add one more. After Urbina doubled to lead off the inning, he stole third and came home to score on a wild pitch to draw the lead to 3-0.

That was the score when Lake County strung together four runs in the fifth. A pair of singles led off the inning for the Captains, and after a ground out moved both runners into scoring position, Angel Zarate put Lake County on the board with a two-run single. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Alex Mooney and Cooper Ingle posted back-to-back two-out RBI base hits to take the lead 4-3.

But that would be the Captains’ only lead. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Rayne Doncon notched a one-out single and was on base for Misael Urbina, who gave the Kernels the lead again with a two-run home run.

Up by a run in the bottom of the seventh, Olivar gave the Kernels some much-needed insurance. After Keoni Cavaco reached on an error to begin the inning, Olivar smoked his second home run of the night, a two-run shot to left field, to extend the Kernels' lead to 7-4, the score that would be the final.

The Cedar Rapids bullpen continued to impress in the win. Gabriel Yanez picked up the win in relief with 2.2 perfect innings. Behind him, Jacob Wosinski collected his fifth save of the season, not allowing a run across the final five outs of the game.

The win is the Kernels’ 30th of the year and improves Cedar Rapids to 30-18 on the season. The series with Lake County continues with game five of the set tomorrow at 6:35. Jeremy Lee makes his Kernels home debut opposite Carter Spivey.