Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Kernels drop marathon twinbill to Loons

The Cedar Rapids Kernels put themselves through six hours of misery Friday night and early Saturday morning.

The Kernels dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Great Lakes Loons and both games went into extra innings on a cool, soggy night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Loons won the first game, 4-3, in 13 innings and they captured the second game, 3-1, in eight innings.

Both contests were supposed to last seven innings, but neither team could muster enough offense during regulation.

The Midwest League doubleheader began at 5:33 p.m. Friday and ended just a few minutes shy of 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

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Kernels add infielder Valera to roster

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Friday that infielder Rafael Valera has been assigned to the Kernels from Extended Spring Training.

The Twins signed Valera as a non-drafted free agent on Sept. 8, 2011. He is a native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela and split time last season between Fort Myers and the GLC Twins, playing the majority of the season in the GCL.

In 47 games, he hit .254 with eight doubles, 14 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts.

Valera is active and available for Friday's doubleheader with the Great Lakes Loons at 5:30 p.m.

Schmit suffered left facial fracture

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Thursday that infielder Blake Schmit has been placed on the 7-day disabled list with a left facial fracture.

Schmit suffered the injury in the eighth inning of Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Great Lakes when he was hit on the helmet by a 95 mph fastball. He was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital for treatment.

He is hitting .226 with a home run and 12 RBIs for the Kernels this season.

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Schmit taken to hospital with head injury

Cedar Rapids Kernels second baseman Blake Schmit was taken to Mercy Hospital Wednesday night after being hit in the head by a 95 mph fastball by Great Lakes pitcher Karch Kowalczyk.

Great Lakes won the game, 2-1.

Schmit lay face-down in the right-handed batter's box after the accident in the eighth inning as Kernels trainer Curtis Simondet and Manager Jake Mauer rushed to his side.

Schmit, a right-handed batter, was hit on the helmet near his left temple. The violent impact appeared to shove the helmet into Schmit's nose, causing bleeding from his left nostril.

Mauer said Schmit was dizzy, but never lost consciousness.

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Wilson helps Kernels top Whitecaps

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels were glad to have Jared Wilson back on the mound Monday night.

Wilson, who made a spot start for Fort Myers in the Florida State League last week, tossed six strong innings Monday as the Kernels snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over West Michigan before 5,789 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Wilson (5-1, 3.10) allowed two earned runs in six innings with three hits,four strikeouts and two walks.

The Kernels (36-22) got strong relief pitching from Michael Theofanopoulos and Trevor Hildenberger. Theofanopoulos tossed two scoreless frames for a hold and Hildenberger pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his sixth save.

West Michigan (29-29) collected only three hits in the game.

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Kernels suffer 4th loss in row

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels dropped their fourth straight game with a 6-2 loss at West Michigan Sunday afternoon in a Midwest League outing before 5,598 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Brett Doe collected two of the team's three hits. It's the first time this season the Kernels (35-22) have lost four consecutive games.

West Michigan (29-28) jumped in front 3-0 in the first inning, collecting five hits and bringing eight men to the plate. Derek Hill began the inning with a triple off the wall in right. He quickly scored on an RBI single to left-center by Austin Schotts.

Schotts stole second base and scored on Joey Pankake's RBI single to left. Will Kengor rolled a single through the right side for the fourth hit of the inning. Zach Shepherd capped off the big inning with an RBI bloop single down the right field line, bringing in Pankake and staking the Whitecaps to the early three-run advantage.

The Kernels picked up a pair of unearned runs in the third inning, cutting West Michigan's lead to 3-2. With two outs, Tanner English drew a walk and stole his team-best 18th base of the season. He scored the team's first run when Nick Gordon reached on a fielding error by Kengor at first base.

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Nordgren joins Kernels, Cederoth to DL

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Saturday that pitcher Miles Nordgren has joined the Kernels from Extended Spring Training and pitcher Michael Cederoth has been placed on the 7-day DL, retroactive to June 5, with an undisclosed injury.

The Twins selected Nordgren in the 23rd round of the 2014 draft from Birmingham Southern College. He posted a 1-3 record and 2.23 ERA in 16 games (one start) and three saves with the GCL Twins last year.

Nordgren made two relief appearances for the Kernels earlier this season, allowing no runs on three hits in 3 1/2 innings.

Cederoth has made 11 appearances (six starts) for the Kernels, posting a 1-4 record and 4.08 ERA.

Whitecaps walk by Kernels, 8-7

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - Four consecutive walks and a walk-off wild pitch gave West Michigan an 8-7 win over the Kernels Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

The Whitecaps scored twice with no hits in the final inning for the comeback victory. The Kernels have now lost three games in a row.

The back-and-forth battle had the Kernels leading 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth inning with Cam Booser on the mound. Booser struck out Mike Gerber to start the inning, but then the southpaw walked the next four and fired a wild pitch that gave West Michigan the win.

Joey Pankake, Will Kengor and Zach Shepherd drew walks to load the bases. Shane Zeile reached with a base on balls to bring in Pankake and tie the game, 7-7. With Francisco Contreras at the plate, Booser's wild pitch allowed Kenger to score the walk-off run and give the Whitecaps an 8-7 victory.

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South Bend batters Kernels 9-4

SOUTH BEND – The South Bend Cubs broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning to take a 6-2 lead and went on to beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 9-4 in front of 6,895 fans Friday at Four Winds Field.

South Bend took the three-game series, 2-1.

The Cubs battered Kernels starter Keaton Steele (2-1) with nine hits and six earned runs over the first four innings. Steele had one walk and one strikeout.

Cedar Rapids (35-20) scored twice in the fourth inning and one run in each of the six and seventh innings, but it was not enough against South Bend (25-29).

Nick Gordon hit 2-for-4 with a double and a run for the Kernels, Edgar Corcino hit 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI, and Brett Doe hit 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Cedar Rapids opens a three-game series at West Michigan starting a 6 p.m. today.

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