SOUTH BEND, Ind. - A four-run first inning was too much to overcome as the Cedar Rapids Kernels dropped a 6-4 decision to the South Bend Cubs on Thursday night at Four Winds Field.

South Bend jumped on Kernels starter Dereck Rodriguez for three doubles and two walks to build the lead. Rodriguez also had two wild pitches in the inning.

The Kernels picked up their first run in the second as Jorge Fernandez doubled off the wall in left to begin the inning, later scoring on a RBI groundout by Edgar Corcino.

Corcino cut South Bend's lead to 4-3 in the fourth inning with he crushed a two-run home run to right-center field. It scored Alex Real, who singled with two outs.

Corcino has at least one hit in his first five games as a Kernel. The home run was the team's first since Memorial Day at Beloit, snapping a season-long eight game-homerless streak.

South Bend scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, pushing their lead to 6-3. Fernandez doubled home Nick Gordon in the eighth, cutting the gap to 6-4, but the Kernels would get no closer.

Rodriguez (0-1) struggled in Midwest League debut, allowing four runs on five hits in three innings, striking out one and walking four. Trevor Clifton (2-4) earned the win for South Bend. He allowed three runs on five hits in five innings, striking out three. James Farris recorded his seventh save, pitching a scoreless ninth.

The series concludes on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. Keaton Steele (2-0, 2.70) takes the hill for the Kernels against Jake Stinnett (1-2, 6.27).

KERNELS (9): English, cf, 4 0 1 0, Gordon, ss, 3 1 2 0, Larson, lf, 4 0 0 0, Fernandez, 1b, 4 1 2 1, White, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Real, dh, 4 1 1 0, Corcino, rf, 3 1 1 3, Navarreto, c, 4 0 0 0, Schmit, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Murphy, ph, 1 0 0 0. Totals 33 4 7 4.

SOUTH BEND (5): Burks, cf, 2 1 0 0, Torres, ss, 4 1 1 0, Ely, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Belaguert, dh, 4 1 2 0, Brockmeyer, c, 4 1 3 2, Encarnacion, rf, 4 1 1 1, Amaya, dh, 3 0 0 0, Hodges, 3b, 4 1 1 0, Crawford, lf, 3 0 2 1. Totals 32 6 10 5.

Kernels         010 200 010 - 4  7 0
South Bend   400 011 00x - 6 10 0

Rodriguez, Theofanopolos (4), Cederoth (7), Booser (8) and Navarreto. Clifton, Markey (6), Farris (9) and Brockmeyer. WP - Clifton (2-4), LP - Rodriguez (0-1). SV - Farris (7). 2B - Fernandez 2 (10), English (8), Torres (10), Brockmeyer 2 (15), Encarnacion (1), Hodges (7), Crawford (3). 3B - Brockmeyer (1). HR - Corcino (1).  SB - Gordon (13). T - 2:39. A - 4,014.