Kernels Explode for Eleven Runs, Win First Game of the Season 11-2

Cedar Rapids, IA - Behind seven Rubel Cespedes RBI, Cedar Rapids scores a season-high 11 runs to top Dayton 11-2 and win their first game of the season.

After the Kernels never led in the home-opening loss on Tuesday, it didn’t take long for Cedar Rapids to hop on the board first on Wednesday night. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Ricardo Olivar smashed a double, and after Danny De Andrade was hit by a pitch, two were on for Cespedes, who produced his first run of the night with an RBI single to lift the Kernels ahead 1-0.

In the bottom of the third, singles by Olivar and De Andrade put two men on again for Cespedes, who picked up RBI number two of the night with another single to grow the Kernels to 2-0.

Down by two in the top of the fourth, the Dragons got on the board for the first time. Consecutive singles by Sal Stewart, Cam Collier and Hector Rodriguez produced the first Dayton run to cut the Cedar Rapids lead in half at 2-1.

But that run would be the only one Kernels starter Zebby Matthews allowed. In his first start of the season, Matthews picked up the win, going five strong innings, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Cedar Rapids re-opened the lead to two in the bottom of the fourth. Misael Urbina doubled to lead off the frame, and after a groundball moved him to third, he scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-1.

That was the score until the top of the seventh. Leo Balcazar led off the inning with a single, and three batters later scored on a Cade Hunter RBI double to make it a one-run game again at 3-2.

But the Kernels blew it open in the bottom of the seventh. Back-to-back doubles by Keoni Cavaco and Luke Keaschall scored a run to begin the inning. After Olivar walked, De Andrade collected his third hit of the night, this time an RBI single to make it 5-2. With two runners on, Cespedes came to the plate and cranked his second home run in as many nights, this one a three-run shot to make it an 8-2 game.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Kernels came back for more. After singles by Cavaco and Keaschall, followed by an Olivar walk, loaded the bases, De Andrade reached on an error, with a run coming home on the play. With the bases still loaded, Cespedes collected his fourth run-scoring hit of the night, this one a two-run single, to lift the Kernels ahead 11-2, the score that would be the final.

The win is the first of the season for Cedar Rapids, who improves to 1-3 on the year. Game three of the season opening homestand is set for tomorrow night at 6:35 with Andrew Morris making his second start of the season against Kevin Abel.