Hamilton, Davis Homer in Comeback Victory

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - Back-to-back home runs by Caleb Hamilton and Jaylin Davis lifted the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a 5-3 come-from-behind win Saturday against the Burlington Bees in front of 3,124 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels kept a two-game lead atop the Western Division standings with the triumph.
Hamilton and Davis hit critical homers in the sixth inning as Cedar Rapids (36-26) rallied from a 2-1 deficit. After a leadoff single from Brandon Lopez, Hamilton delivered a two-run blast to left field that put the Kernels ahead. Davis followed with a solo shot to center field. Later in the inning, Aaron Whitefield added an RBI single for a 5-2 Kernels lead. Hamilton's home run was his fifth of the season while Davis' round-tripper was his Midwest League-high 12^th clout this year.

Before the go-ahead rally, Davis drove in the Kernels' first run of the game during the fourth. Burlington (23-36) held a 2-0 lead and had not allowed a hit through three innings, but Hamilton drew a leadoff walk and scored from first base when Davis hit a double.
The Bees grabbed their early two-run advantage with two outs in the first inning. Keith Grieshaber's two-out single kept the inning alive. A stolen base coupled with an error helped Grieshaber reach third base, and Sam McDonnell collected an RBI single that brought in Grieshaber. McDonnell scored on an RBI double by Jack Kruger.
After falling behind within the sixth, Burlington closed the gap to 5-3 in the seventh, but that was the only offense in the final frames for the Bees. A force out and an error allowed Brennan Morgan to get to second base. Morgan tallied the last run of Saturday's contest following back-to-back wild pitches.
Eduardo Del Rosario (6-3) claimed his team-high-tying sixth victory, allowing just two runs over six innings in a quality start. Ryan Mason gave up an unearned run in the seventh inning but still grabbed his first hold of the season. Alex Robinson tossed a scoreless eighth inning for his league-best sixth hold. Hector Lujan was credited for his fourth save after shutout frame in the ninth.
Ty Barkell (1-1) was charged for a blown save and a loss. He gave up seven hits and four runs during Cedar Rapids' pivotal sixth-inning rally. The Kernels' comeback knocked Jose Suarez out of a victory in his Bees debut. Suarez only allowed one run over five innings pitched.
The Kernels and the Bees continue this four-game series at 2:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Catch the coverage of the matinee with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com, and MiLB.TV.
Western Fraternal Life Kids Eat Free Sunday includes a coupon for kids aged 12 and under to receive a free hot dog, popcorn, and Capri Sun. After the game, fans can run the bases, play catch in the outfield, and get autographs from the Kernels on the field thanks to Prairie Farms and 104.5 KDAT. Coors Light Bike to the Ballpark encourages fans to ride their bikes to the game to be eligible for various prizes. Travel Advisors Baseball Bingo features a chance to win a trip to Minneapolis to see a Twins game. Papa Balloon, Face Painting by Kennedy, and free postgame samples of Lemon Lemon from Pepsi will also be at the tilt.
Fans can purchase tickets for all 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 Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.