Lights-out relief leads Kernels to win No. 60

Cedar Rapids, IA – Kernels relievers Matt Mullenbach, Brad Hanner and Miguel Rodriguez combined to fire 7.0 shutout frames as Cedar Rapids snapped their three-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Beloit Sky Carp on Busch Light Night. Pat Winkel homered, Will Holland had a three-hit night while Mikey Perez provided a 2-for-3 day at the plate as the Kernels posted a pair of crooked numbers in the first and seventh. Cedar Rapids improves to 60-40, 17-17 in the second half.

Aaron Sabato opened the scoring in the first with a sacrifice fly to plate Alerick Soularie, then Winkel unloaded on a three-run shot out to left-center two batters later for a 4-0 Kernels lead.

Beloit would get two in the second, then Mullenbach entered in the third. The Urbandale native proceeded to allow just two baserunners on a pair of singles over 3.2 innings, striking out a pair en route to his fourth win of the season.

Hanner took the ball with two away in the sixth, retiring six of eight faced with three strikeouts.

Four straight hits opened the seventh for Cedar Rapids as Jeferson Morales led off with the inning with a double before Perez and Holland smacked back-to-back RBI singles. Kyler Fedko singled to move Holland to third, with the latter crossing home on a wild pitch a bit later to put the Kernels ahead 7-2.

Rodriguez closed things out by putting away each of the four he faced, striking out a pair to secure the win.

Game five of the series is set for 6:35 p.m. CT on Saturday evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

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