APPLETON, Wis - The Kernels got a solo home run from Henry Kusiak, his first high-A home run, and a two-run shot from Brandon Winokur, but the offense couldn’t keep pace with Wisconsin Wednesday afternoon in a 12-6 defeat.
After not trailing on Tuesday, the Timber Rattlers picked up right where they left off in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday. A pair of singles to the first two batters of the inning put runners on the corners with no one out, and an RBI fielder’s choice opened the scoring to put Wisconsin in front 1-0. After two more singles loaded the bases, Daniel Guilarte produced a two-out, two-run single to leap the Rattlers ahead 3-0.
Cedar Rapids got on the board for the first time in the series in the top of the fourth. Brandon Winokur lined a one-out double and scored a batter later on a Caden Kendle RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Wisconsin responded in the bottom of the fifth. Daniel Dickinson walked and stole second in front of Luis Castillo, who drove him in with an RBI single to get the lead back to three at 4-1.
The Kernels had a chance to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning. A hit-by-pitch and an Enrique Jimenez single put runners on the corners for Winokur, who notched an RBI with a fielder’s choice. After a strikeout, a Yasser Mercedes single loaded the bases for Danny De Andrade, who made it 4-3 with a sacrifice fly. With runners now on the corners, the Kernels tried to pull off a double steal to tie the game, but Winokur was tossed out at the plate, and the score stayed in favor of Wisconsin.
That was the closest the Kernels would get. Marco Dinges responded right away in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. After a single, Eric Bitonti followed suit with a two-run shot to put the Timber Rattlers in front 7-3.
In the top of the seventh, Henry Kusiak got a run back for the Kernels on a solo home run to left to trim the Wisconsin lead to 7-4.
The Timber Rattlers got that run back in the bottom of the inning. Josiah Ragsdale doubled to begin the inning, getting on base for Dinges, who homered again, his two-run shot to left made it 9-4 Wisconsin.
In the top of the eighth, Winokur countered with a two-run shot of his own to trim the disadvantage back to 9-6, but the Timber Rattlers put it away in the bottom of the inning. The first two batters of the inning reached for Juan Baez, who connected on the fourth Timber Rattlers home run of the game, a three-run blast to put Wisconsin up 12-6, the score that would be the final.
The loss drops the Kernels to 0-4 to begin the second half of the season and to 31-37 overall. Game three in the series in Wisconsin is set for Thursday at 6:40. Cesar Lares starts for Cedar Rapids against Ethan Dorchies.