Lewis Highlights 12-4 Cedar Rapids Rout

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - Royce Lewis hit a solo home run and registered a career-high-tying four runs batted in Friday to help the Cedar Rapids Kernels claim a 12-4 wire-to-wire victory against the Peoria Chiefs in front of 3,246 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. All nine hitters reach safely for Cedar Rapids (32-35) within a blowout win to start a three-game series with Peoria (37-31).
Lewis launched his solo shot during the first inning. His sixth home run of the season cleared the left-field wall and gave the Kernels a 1-0 lead. Lewis has now recorded an extra-base hit in the first inning in four consecutive games and six of his last seven appearances.

Robby Rinn and Trey Cabbage increased the lead to 3-0 within the bottom of the second. Rinn led off with a solo homer into the Plumbers & Pipefitters Pavilion, and Cabbage added an RBI double later in the inning.
Peoria scored in the third and fourth innings to slice its deficit to 3-2. Bryce Denton's RBI single in the third put the Chiefs on the scoreboard. Elehuris Montero produced an RBI single of his own during the top of the fourth.
The Kernels pulled away while plating six runs in their half of the fourth inning. Cabbage opened the rally with a two-run double. Lewis singled to drive in two more runs for a 7-2 advantage. Two batters later, Jose Miranda crushed a two-run blast to left field that lifted Cedar Rapids' lead to 9-2.
Montero's second RBI single provided a quick response for Peoria in the fifth, but Cedar Rapids answered with three runs to secure a 12-3 edge. Akil Baddoo drew a bases-loaded walk to push one run home. Lewis followed with an RBI single, and Miranda notched a sacrifice fly near the end of the frame.
The Chiefs only managed one run in the late innings of Friday's series opener. Scott Hurst homered to lead off the seventh inning, but that solo shot only trimmed Cedar Rapids' lead to 12-4.
Bryan Sammons (3-4) allowed just three runs in six innings within his team-best fifth quality start and picked up the win. Evan Guillory (6-5) was tagged for a personal-high 13 hits, 12 runs, and nine earned runs in a loss. Melvi Acosta yielded only one run over the final three frames and earned his first Kernels save.
This three-game homestand continues Saturday at 6:35 p.m. with Kernels right-hander Edwar Colina (2-2, 4.26) scheduled to pitch against Chiefs right-hander Alvaro Seijas (1-3, 4.55). Fans unable to attend the game can follow the action on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com, and MiLB.TV.
Postgame fireworks will follow Saturday's contest. Earlier in the day, Cedar Rapids will host its annual Kernels Youth Baseball Clinic from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. The clinic is open to boys and girls aged 5 to 12, and the cost to sign up Saturday will be $25.00 per child.
Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.