GENEVA, Ill. - Jose Berrios was excellent, and the Cedar Rapids Kernels' offense scored early in a 5-2 win over the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on Friday evening.

The Kernels notched their fourth straight win. The game was played before a crowd of 8,441.

Berrios (4-2) allowed a single run and a season-low three hits in 5.2 innings for the win.  He struck out four and walked two.

Alex Muren went 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing only two hits. Tim Atherton allowed one run in the ninth inning while David Hurlbut collected his fifth save, retiring the final two batters with the bases loaded.

The Kernels (34-19) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.  A Dalton Hicks RBI single scored Byron Buxton.  Hicks then scored on Adam Brett Walker’s RBI double.

Kane County (24-28) cut into the Kernels lead right away with a run in the bottom of the first inning.  Dan Vogelbach singled home Pin-Chieh Chen, who had walked to lead off the frame.

The Kernels opened up a 5-1 lead in the third inning by plating three runs on four hits.  Hicks doubled and came home on Travis Harrison’s RBI single.  A J.D. Williams RBI single scored Harrison.  Michael Quesada’s RBI double brought Williams home to cap off the inning.

Marco Hernandez’s RBI double in the ninth inning cut the Kernels lead to 5-2.

Hicks led the offense with three hits while Walker and Quesada both collected two hits.

Jose Rosario (0-1) allowed five runs on 10 hits over five innings in the Cougars loss.  Eddie Orozco and Brian Smith combined to pitch four scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

The Kernels play at Kane County again Saturday night. First pitch is 6:30.

KERNELS (5): Buxton, dh, 5 1 1 0, Goodrum, ss, 5 0 1 0, Polanco, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Hicks, 1b, 4 1 3 1, Walker, rf, 4 1 2 1, Harrison, 3b, 3 1 1 1, Williams, lf, 4 1 1 1, Quesada, c, 4 0 2 1, Pineda, cf, 4 0 0 0, Berrios, p, 0 0 0 0, Muren, p, 0 0 0 0, Atherton, p, 0 0 0 0, Hurlbut, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 37 5 11 5.

KANE COUNTY (2): Chen, lf, 3 1 2 0, Almora, cf, 5 0 0 0 0, Vogelbach, 1b, 5 0 1 1, Candelario, 3b, 4 0 1 0, Shoulders, dh, 2 0 0 0, Amaya, 2b, 3 1 0 0, Contreras, c, 4 0 0 0, Golden, rf, 4 0 2 0, Hernandez, ss, 4 0 1 1, Rosario, p, 0 0 0 0, Orozco, p, 0 0 0 0, Smith, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 34 2 7 2.

Kernels           203 000 000 - 5 11 2
Kane County  100 000 001 - 2  7 1

Berrios, Muren (6), Atherton (9), Hurlbut (9) and Quesada. Rosario, Orozco (6), Smith (7) and Contreras. W - Berrios (4-2). L - Rosario (0-1). Sv - Hurlbut (5). 2B - Walker (11), Hicks (16), Quesada (2). Golden (1), Hernandez (6). SB - Buxton (26). E - Polanco (6), Goodrum (10), Contreras (9). T - 2:50. A - 8,441.