SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Cedar Rapids scored four runs in the first inning and a pair of Kernels pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts in an 8-4 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks at Coveleski Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Jose Berrios (3-0) went six innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out eight, walked none and hit three batters with pitches.

Steve Gruver collected his second save. He went three innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits. He struck out seven and walked one.

The Kernels (20-8) sent nine men to the plate and scored four runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Byron Buxton scored on a passed ball. An RBI single by Dalton Hicks brought home Niko Goodrum. Jairo Rodriguez plated Hicks and Adam Brett Walker with a two-RBI single.

The Kernels pushed a run across in the sixth inning without a hit to extend their lead to 5-0. Tyler Grimes walked to start the inning and eventually scored on Buxton’s sacrifice fly.

The Silver Hawks (19-8) scored twice in the sixth inning to trim the Kernels' lead to 5-2. Brandon Drury and Ryan Court began the inning with back-to-back doubles. Court later came home on a wild pitch.

Travis Harrison lifted a two-run home run to left field in the seventh inning to get those runs back for the Kernels. Harrison’s fourth homer of the season scored Walker.

South Bend picked up two runs in the eighth inning, cutting the Kernels' lead to 7-4. Court scored on a missed catch error by Goodrum, the Kernels shortstop. Kevin Medrano’s RBI infield single scored Steven Rodriguez.

Harrison’s RBI single in the ninth inning scored Goodrum and put the Kernels up 8-4.

Brad Allen (0-1) took the loss for South Bend, going five innings and allowing four runs on five hits.

The rubber game of the three-game series is Monday night at 6:05 (Iowa time). Southpaw Matt Tomshaw (1-0) is scheduled to pitch for the Kernels.

KERNELS (8): Buxton, cf, 4 1 1 1, Goodrum, ss, 3 2 1 0, Polanco, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Hicks, 1b, 4 1 1 1, Walker, rf, 5 2 2 0, Harrison, 3b, 5 1 2 3, Grimes, dh, 3 1 0 0, JaRodriguez, c, 3 0 1 2, Jimenez, lf, 4 0 0 0, Berrios, p, 0 0 0 0, Gruver, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 35 8 8 7.

SOUTH BEND (4): Medrano, 2b, 5 0 2 1, Pena, dh, 5 0 0 0, Drury, 3b, 5 1 1 0, Court, 1b, 3 2 3 1, Glenn, lf, 4 0 0 0, Aguila, c, 2 0 0 0, SRodriguez, c, 1 1 1 0, Almadova, cf, 4 0 1 0, Ruiz, ss, 4 0 1 0, Lang, rf, 3 0 1 0, Allen, p, 0 0 0 0, Bradley, p, 0 0 0 0, Brendel, p, 0 0 0 0, Burgos, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 36 4 10 2.

Kernels           400 001 201 - 8  8 2
South Bend    000 002 020 - 4 10 0

Berrios, Gruver (7) and JaRodriguez. Allen, Bradley (6), Brendel (7), Burgos (9) and Aguila, SRodriguez. 2B - Goodrum (6), Drury (12), Court (13). HR - Harrison (4). SB - Walker (2). S - Glenn. SF - Buxton. E - Polanco (3), Goodrum (5). T - 2:58. A - 2,384.