Encarnacion-Strand walks off Whitecaps on Fireworks Saturday

Cedar Rapids, IA – Cedar Rapids third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand launched a two-out walk off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night to give the Kernels a 6-5 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps. Encarnacion-Strand’s heroics were coupled with a clutch eighth-inning Wander Javier three-run bomb as part of a thrilling evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels improve to 44-24 with the win, 1-1 in the second half.

Cedar Rapids opened the scoring in the first as Seth Gray singled and Yunior Severino drew a walk with two away, then Kyler Fedko laced a two-run triple into right to hand the Kernels a 2-0 lead.

The lineup went cold for the next six frames, failing to advance a runner to second base until Dylan Neuse walked and was stranded at second in the seventh. West Michigan plated a run in the third, fifth sixth and seventh to take a 4-2 lead entering the home half of the eighth.

With one down in the eighth, Gray singled and Severino walked to put the tying run on first. Following a flyout, Javier crushed the first pitch he saw off the batter’s eye in dead center for a three-run jack – putting the Kernels ahead 5-4.

West Michigan scored a run in the ninth with a solo home run, drawing the game even at five. Encarnacion-Strand provided the walk-off blast with two down and two strikes in the ninth inning, lacing a solo shot over the Cost Cutters sign.

Bobby Milacki earned the win with a scoreless inning of work, scattering a pair of hits in the ninth.

The series finale is set for 2:05 p.m. CT on Saturday.

To keep up to date on information regarding the Kernels 2022 season please visit www.kernels.com or follow our Facebook and Twitter feeds and subscribe to our Kernels email newsletter.