Four-Run Fourth Lifts Kernels Past Timber Rattlers 7-6

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Brandon Winokur’s three-run home run led the Cedar Rapids charge in a four-run fourth inning, which gave the Kernels a lead they would not lose in a 7-6 win over Wisconsin Saturday night.

After the Kernels won their first game of the series on Friday, the Timber Rattlers got on the board first on Saturday. To lead off the game, Braylon Payne lifted a home run to left to jump Wisconsin in front 1-0.

Cedar Rapids countered in the bottom of the inning. A Marek Houston walk followed by an Eduardo Tait single and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out. Jay Thomason tied the game, 1-1, with a sacrifice fly before Quinn McDaniel put the Kernels on top, 2-1, with an RBI single.

The Timber Rattlers used the long ball to pull even in the fourth. To lead off the inning, Andrew Fischer belted his third home run of the series on a drive to right to tie the game at 2-2.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Kernels regained the lead, this time for good. With two outs and the bases empty, Harry Genth was hit by a pitch. After a Houston single moved him to third, he scored on an Eduardo Tait RBI single to put Cedar Rapids back in front 3-2. With runners now on the corners, Brandon Winokur came to the plate and smashed a three-run home run to left-center, pushing the advantage to 6-2.

Wisconsin rallied back in the top of the sixth. Singles by Marco Dinges and Fischer put two on for Eric Bitonti who mashed a three-run to cut the deficit back down to one at 6-5.

The Kernels added a big insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Winokur was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and after a balk moved him into scoring position, he scored on another McDaniel RBI single to double the lead to 7-5.

That insurance run proved to be the difference. Wisconsin got back within one in the top of the ninth on a Luis Castillo solo homer to right but did not get any closer in the 7-6 Cedar Rapids win.

The victory improves the Kernels to back to .500 at 28-28 on the season and to 2-3 in the series against Wisconsin. Cedar Rapids goes for a series split in the final Sunday afternoon at 1:05 with Garrett Horn on the mound opposite Travis Smith.