Kernels Cross Marathon Finish Line First, Best Timber Rattlers 6-5 in 13 Innings

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A Jose Salas game-winning double in the bottom of the 13th inning lifted the Kernels past the Timber Rattlers 6-5 in Cedar Rapids’ longest game since 2016.

Wednesday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium began with a two-hour rain delay. When the game began, Cedar Rapids struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Andy Lugo walked to begin the inning, and after he stole second, he scored on a Jacob McCombs RBI single to lift the Kernels in front 1-0. A batter later, McCombs scored all the way from first on an Eduardo Tait RBI double to grow the lead to 2-0.

That was all the run support needed for Kernels starter Reed Moring. In his second high-A start, Moring did not allow a run across six innings of work, only allowing three hits while striking out five.

With Moring out of the game, Wisconsin got on the board in the top of the seventh. After a walk to begin the inning, back-to-back singles combined to plate a run and cut the deficit to 2-1. Two batters later, Luis Peña tied the game, 2-2, with an RBI single before an RBI groundout put the Timber Rattlers in front 3-2.

Cedar Rapids countered in the bottom of the eighth. McCombs walked and stole second in front of Tait, who pulled the Kernels even, 3-3, with an RBI single.

That stayed the score through the ninth, the tenth and the 11th. In the 12th, Wisconsin broke the deadlock. A Blayberg Diaz RBI double scored the extra-inning rule runner to put the Timber Rattlers in front 4-3.

But the Kernels responded in the bottom of the inning. A groundout pushed the runner to third, and after a walk, McCombs made it 4-4 with an RBI fielder’s choice.

In the top of the 13th, Sawyer Strosnider led off with an RBI single to again jump Wisconsin ahead 5-4.

In the bottom of the 13th, the Kernels' punch back was the knockout blow. First, Quinn McDaniel singled into center to tie the game 5-5. Then, a batter later, Jose Salas doubled in the right-center field gap, scoring McDaniel all the way from first base and propelling Cedar Rapids to the walk-off 6-5 win.

The win improves the Kernels to 43-65 on the season and is Cedar Rapids’ fifth win in its last six games. Game three in the series against Wisconsin is slated for Thursday at 6:35; Adrian Bohorquez gets the ball opposite Josh Knoth.