Arenas, Kernels win Border Battle

Arenas tossed seven shutout innings Friday as the Cedar Rapids Kernels rolled to a 6-1 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at the annual Border Battle before 12,667 at Milwaukee's Miller Park.

With the retractable roof closed on a chilly and rainy night, the 21-year-old right-hander limited the Timber Rattlers to four hits and two walks while matching a season high with six strikeouts. He won his second straight start and extended his scoreless streak to 14 innings.

Arenas (2-4) struggled early. He put two men on base in the first inning before getting Peter Fatse and Cameron Garfield to ground out. Chris Dennis and Cutter Dykstra started the second with singles and moved into scoring position on Michael Marseco's sacrifice. But they were stranded as Arenas fanned Franklin Romero and D'Vontrey Richardson.

Those strikeouts started a streak of 13 consecutive batters retired by the Venezuela native, who did not allow another baserunner until Khristopher Davis drew a one-out walk in the sixth.

Cedar Rapids broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the top of the sixth. Luis Jimenez delivered a two-run triple and scored on a groundout by Eric Oliver before former first-round pick Randal Grichuk scored on a throwing error.

Grichuk provided some insurance with an RBI triple in the eighth and trotted home on a double by Casey Haerther.

Mike Kenney, one of three Kernels who combined on a no-hitter against Kane County on April 30, relieved Arenas in the eighth and gave up a run-scoring single to Davis.

David Carpenter loaded the bases in the ninth before securing Cedar Rapids' second straight win and seventh in nine games.

This was the second year in a row the Timber Rattlers -- the Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers -- played a game at Miller Park. Last April, they defeated the Peoria Chiefs, 5-3.