Cedar Rapids Holds Off Wisconsin 6-5, Improves to Over .500 for First Time This Season

Appleton, WI - The Kernels scored twice in each of the first three innings Thursday night and held on to top Wisconsin 6-5. The win improves Cedar Rapids to 6-5 on the year, over the .500 for the first time this season.

The Cedar Rapids offense got to work right away in the top of the first inning. Luke Keaschall, Gabriel Gonzalez and Rubel Cespedes began the game with three straight singles, Cespedes's producing a run to put the Kernels up 1-0. Two batters later, Jay Harry added an RBI base hit to increase the lead to 2-0.

In the bottom of the first, Wisconsin answered right back. Three doubles in the inning scored a pair of Timber Rattlers runs to tie the game back up at 2-2.

In the second, Jose Salas singled and Misael Urbina walked to begin the inning. After back-to-back flyouts, Keaschall put the Kernels back on top with a two-run double to jump Cedar Rapids back in front 4-2.

In the top of the third, Cespedes led off the inning with a double, and the next batter, Ricardo Olivar, crushed a two-run homer out of the ballpark to double the lead at 6-2.

Down by four, Wisconsin rallied to get within two runs in the bottom of the fourth. A Mike Boeve single and a Gregory Barrios double put two on to begin the inning. After an RBI groundout and a sac fly, the Kernels' lead was cut in half at 6-4.

In the seventh, the Rattlers got one run closer. A Dylan O’Rae double began the inning, and he came home to score a sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game at 6-5.

But that would be the closest Wisconsin got. Ricardo Velez came on in the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door with a 1-2-3 frame picking up his first high-A save and locking down the 6-5 win.

After starting the season 0-3, Cedar Rapids has won six of its last eight and is now 6-5. Game four of the series is set for tomorrow at 6:40. Brett Wichrowski gets the start for Wisconsin, and the Kernels starter is TBD.