Cardiac Kernels Clip Snappers, 3-2

BELOIT, WIS. - Back-to-back RBI singles from Jared Akins and Albee Weiss turned a one-run deficit into a 3-2 Cedar Rapids Kernels victory Friday night against the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field. Cedar Rapids (23-17, 62-48) earned its Midwest League-high-tying sixth win when trailing after eight innings of play this season.
Cody Laweryson kept Beloit (15-25, 42-64) scoreless within his Kernels debut to start the game. He tossed a career-high-tying five shutout innings while allowing two hits and one walk. Laweryson and Beloit's Richard Guasch matched zeroes over the first four frames with Guasch tallying a personal-best seven strikeouts.

Cedar Rapids picked up a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. Akins hit a leadoff single against Joe DeMers and advanced to second base on a groundout from Weiss. Alex Isola followed with an RBI single to drive in Akins. Later in the fifth, DeMers induced an inning-ending double play and quieted the Kernels over the next three innings.
The Snappers pulled even during the sixth and surged ahead within the eighth. Nick Osborne's sixth-inning sacrifice fly brought in Joseph Pena. Anthony Churlin doubled in the eighth inning, and Pena scored from first base for a 2-1 Beloit advantage.
Akins and Weiss provided heroics in the ninth inning to give the Kernels their 3-2 lead. Wander Javier and Trevor Casanova reached safely on one-out walks. A single from Akins allowed Javier to come home, and Weiss hit a single of his own that plated Casanova. Brandon Withers (3-4) was charged with the blown save and the loss in Friday's finale.
Jose Martinez (8-3) gave up the go-ahead run during the eighth but bounced back with a scoreless ninth inning for the win. His eight relief victories represent the best single-season total for a Kernels reliever since Cedar Rapids became a Minnesota Twins affiliate heading into the 2013 season.
Coming up, Cedar Rapids hosts the Burlington Bees for a four-game homestand at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Saturday's game will begin at 6:35 p.m., and Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will call the action on KCRG 9.2, 1450 KMRY AM, and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com, and MiLB.TV.
Postgame fireworks are scheduled to follow the conclusion of the series opener. Especially For You Night features special Kernels jerseys that will be auctioned off at the ballpark during the contest to benefit the annual Especially For You Race Against Breast Cancer.
Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids Kernels home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.