Sabato's big day leads Kernels to series win over Timber Rattlers
Appleton, WI – Kernels first baseman Aaron Sabato went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI to fuel a 9-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday afternoon, earning Cedar Rapids a 4-2 series win on the road. Jake Rucker scored four runs as part of a 2-for-4
Appleton, WI – Kernels first baseman Aaron Sabato went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI to fuel a 9-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday afternoon, earning Cedar Rapids a 4-2 series win on the road. Jake Rucker scored four runs as part of a 2-for-4 day at the plate while he and Yunior Severino each homered. The Kernels improve to 59-37, 16-14 in the second half.
Sabato got things going with a bang in the first, hammering a two-run homer off the video board in left-center with one away. Severino followed with a no-doubter off the deck in right-center, putting the Kernels ahead 3-0.
Orlando Rodriguez opened the Kernels’ staff day with 2.2 scoreless, scattering two hits and three walks while striking out one.
Rucker led off the third with a scalding single up the middle then stole second to put himself in scoring position for Sabato. The Kernels’ first baseman rocketed an RBI double off the center field wall for a 4-0 lead, then scored three batters later on a Wander Javier triple to dead center. The triple extended Javier’s on-base streak to 27 games while the shortstop now has a hit in 10 straight games played.
Bobby Milacki took over in the third and fired 2.1 shutout frames of one-hit ball, striking out a pair to earn his fifth win of the season.
Sabato added to his monster afternoon with another two-run home run in the fifth. The Timber Rattlers responded with a pair of runs on a double in the seventh, but a Rucker two-run blast in the ninth added all the insurance Cedar Rapids would need to secure the series win.
Miguel Rodriguez struck out a pair across 1.2 scoreless while Matthew Swain punched out one in the ninth to close things out.
The Kernels are idle on Monday before beginning a six-game home series against the Beloit Sky Carp on Tuesday evening at 6:35 p.m. CT.
To keep up to date on information regarding the Kernels 2022 season please visit www.kernels.com or follow our Facebook and Twitter feeds and subscribe to our Kernels email newsletter.