CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Kernels scored seven unanswered runs Thursday night, overcoming a five-run deficit for their third straight win over West Michigan, 7-5.
After Cedar Rapids hit walk-off home runs in the first two games of the series, West Michigan got on the board first on Thursday. In the top of the first inning, Juan Hernandez doubled, and three batters later came in to score on a Bryce Rainer RBI single to make it 1-0. The next batter, Clayton Campbell, lifted a home run to right to extend the Whitecaps lead 3-0.
In the second, Nolan McCarthy singled and stole second in front of Cristian Santana, who drove him in with an RBI base hit to make it 4-0. After an error moved Santana to second, he scored on a Ricardo Hurtado single to put West Michigan on top 5-0.
But that was the end of the Whitecaps scoring on the night. Cole Peschl came out of the Cedar Rapids bullpen and posted two scoreless innings. Behind him, Irvan Romero tossed a scoreless inning before Eston Stull spun three scoreless as the Kernels bullpen combined to not allow a run in six innings of work on just one hit and 10 strikeouts.
The Kernels began to chip away in the bottom of the third. A Rayne Doncon walk and an Andy Lugo hit put two on for Jaime Ferrer, who put Cedar Rapids on the board with an RBI double. Two batters later, Eduardo Tait singled into center, plating Lugo to make it 5-2.
In the fourth, Doncon lifted a solo home run to bring the Kernels within two, 5-3.
Cedar Rapids pulled even in the fifth. Brandon Winokur led off with a double. After a walk and a fielder’s choice, Jay Thomason singled to drive in Winokur. A batter later, Doncon tied the game, 5-5, with a sacrifice fly.
Marek Houston put the Kernels on top of the first time for the first time in the sixth. With one out, Houston crushed a home run to right to put Cedar Rapids in front 6-5.
The Kernels put the game away in the seventh. Khadim Diaw singled to lead off the inning. After he moved to second on an error, he scored on a Doncon single, his third RBI of the night, to put Cedar Rapids in front 7-5, the score that would be the final.
The win improves the Kernels to 11-13 on the season and to 3-0 to begin the series with the Whitecaps. Game four of the set is slated for Friday at 6:05. Michael Ross gets the start for Cedar Rapids opposite Rayner Castillo.