Eighth-inning heroics send Kernels past Whitecaps in opener

Cedar Rapids, IA – Shut out through seven innings, the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ lineup broke through with a pair of runs in the eighth to steal a 2-1 series-opening win from the West Michigan Whitecaps on Tuesday evening. Cedar Rapids righthander David Festa dueled West Michigan righty Ty Madden, outlasting the 2021 first rounder with 6.0 innings of one-run ball. With the win, Cedar Rapids improves to a season-best 20 games over .500 at 42-20.

Festa navigated some brief bouts with his control to toss 6.0 innings, scattering two hits and four walks while striking out three. The lone run against him came on a sacrifice fly in the third. Festa and Madden battled one another in a classic pitcher’s duel, with Madden giving way to the pen’ in the sixth. Brad Hanner took over for Cedar Rapids in the seventh and worked a pair of scoreless frames, ultimately earning the win thanks to the Kernels’ eighth-inning comeback.

Cedar Rapids had yet to advance a runner to second base with less than two outs heading into the home half of eight, managing just two hits while trailing 1-0. Kennie Taylor laced his second single of the game back up the middle with one away, then Alerick Soularie drew a four-pitch walk to put two aboard for Christian Encarnacion-Strand. The Kernels’ third baseman smoked a game-tying RBI double down the right field line on the first pitch he saw, plating Taylor and moving Soularie to third. Aaron Sabato was intentionally walked to load the bases for Seth Gray, with the Whitecaps going to their bullpen once again for a lefthanded reliever. Gray lifted a go-ahead sacrifice fly to right, putting the Kernels ahead 2-1 as Soularie slid underneath a throw that was high and wide of the plate.

Derek Molina fired a 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal the comeback win.

Game two of the series is set for 12:05 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.

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