Sky Carp Walk-off Kernels 3-2

BELOIT, Wis – With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Brandon Compton singled home the game-winning run for Beloit to knock off the Kernels 3-2 in walk-off fashion Saturday afternoon.

For the fourth time in five games in the series, Beloit got the lead first. In the bottom of the first, Juan Matheus slugged a one-out triple and came home to score on a sac fly to lift the Sky Carp on top 1-0.

Cedar Rapids responded in the fourth. Eduardo Tait singled to begin the inning, and a batter later, Khadim Diaw blasted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, to jump the Kernels ahead 2-1.

That stayed the score until the bottom of the sixth inning. Beloit got a base runner on a Colby Shade single; he moved up to third on an error on a pick-off attempt and came home to tie the game 2-2 on a wild pitch.

Still tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Matheus singled with one out. A balk put the game-winning run on second for Brandon Compton, who looped a single into centerfield, scoring the run and winning the game for Beloit 3-2.

Kernels starter Eli Jones was a bright spot in the loss. Jones held the Sky Carp to one run on one hit with four strikeouts and no walks across five innings of work.

The loss drops the Kernels to 5-3 on the season and to 3-2 in the series in Beloit. The set wraps up with the finale Sunday at 1:05, Michael Ross gets the start for Cedar Rapids opposite Aiden May.