Cubs Pull Away Late Versus Kernels

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A five-run, tie-breaking rally during the eighth inning Saturday led the South Bend Cubs to a 7-3 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Four Winds Field. The Kernels (35-30) have lost four consecutive contests to the Cubs (30-34) after winning their previous eight games in a row overall.

The Cubs scored in each of the first two innings. Nelson Velazquez’s RBI double plated Tyler Durna during the first. Edmond Americaan came home via wild pitch within the second for a 2-0 South Bend advantage.

Wander Javier launched a Kernels comeback in the top of the fourth inning. He hit a two-out solo home run to left field that sliced the difference in half to 2-1.

Yeltsin Encarnacion brought Cedar Rapids level, 2-2, during the fifth. Gabriel Maciel earned a one-out walk and advanced to third base on Kyle Schmidt’s single. Encarnacion produced a sacrifice fly that drove in Maciel.

South Bend exploded in the eighth and pushed its new lead to 7-2. A balk allowed Velazquez to tally the go-ahead run. Harrison Wenson later added a two-run double that was followed by RBI singles from Josue Huma and Delvin Zinn.

The Kernels tried to come back within the ninth but came up short. Kyle Schmidt’s RBI single was the only scoring as Cedar Rapids fell by a final score of 7-3.

Eduarniel Nunez (1-1) tossed two shutout innings of relief and recorded the victory. He was preceded by Rowan Wick who struck out the side in the sixth while on a Chicago Cubs rehab assignment.

Osiris German (0-1) was tagged for the first four runs in the eighth inning to snap his 24-inning scoreless streak and put him into the loss column. Tyler Watson pitched before him and posted new season highs with nine strikeouts and five innings pitched. Andrew Cabezas conceded two early runs in a short start during his return from the injured list.

Up next, the Kernels are going to finish their six-game road series in Sunday afternoon’s finale with the South Bend Cubs. First pitch will be at 2:05 p.m. ET (1:05 p.m. CT) at Four Winds Field, and Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will have the call for Cedar Rapids on www.kernels.com.

Cedar Rapids will host its next homestand Tuesday, July 20 through Sunday, July 25. Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids Kernels home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.