Morris Dominates as Kernels Blank River Bandits 3-0

Cedar Rapids, IA - Throwing just 73 pitches, Andrew Morris tossed a career-high seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit as Cedar Rapids won its second straight game of the series over Quad Cities, 3-0.

After coming away with the walk-off win a night ago, the Kernels got on the board first in the bottom of the third. With two outs in the frame, Luke Keaschall singled and Rubel Cespedes walked. After a wild pitch moved them both into scoring position, Misael Urbina drove them home on a two-run single to lift the Kernels ahead 2-0.

That stayed the score until the last of the fifth. Willie Joe Garry singled to lead off the inning. The next batter, Dillon Tatum, walked to move Garry to second, and after a wild pitch moved him to third, he came home to score on a Keaschall sac fly to increase the Cedar Rapids lead to 3-0.

The three runs would be all the Kernels needed. In his seventh start of the year, Andrew Morris posted his best start as a professional. The right-hander tossed a career-high seven innings allowing just one base runner on a fourth-inning single. Besides the one hit allowed, Morris tossed six 1-2-3 innings while striking out six without issuing a walk, earning his third win of the year on just 73 pitches.

Behind Morris, Ricardo Velez came on out of the Kernels bullpen and continued his stellar start to the season. The right-hander pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning with four strikeouts earning his sixth save of the season in the six-out effort.

The win extends the Cedar Rapids home winning streak to seven games and improves the Kernels to 20-14 on the season. Game three of the six-game series against Quad Cities is set for tomorrow at 6:35 with Darren Bowen on the mound opposite Steven Zobac.