Diaz leads Kernels with two homers, five RBIs

Lewin Diaz literally hit new heights Tuesday with his first career multi-homer game, then he got to be the Class A Kernels' hero with a mere double.
The Twins' No. 10 prospect went yard twice and plated five runs in Cedar Rapids' 7-3 win over the visiting Lake County Captains. His bases-clearing two-bagger in the seventh inning turned the tide for the Kernels.

"I was excited that I got some good pitches to hit and I was able to put a good swing on the ball," Diaz said through interpreter and Cedar Rapids pitching coach J.P. Martinez. "That's all I try to do every game, help my team win and that's what we did.
"But I also knew that it was the first time I had homered twice in the same game, so I was pretty excited about that."
Box score
Diaz entered the game with one long ball in his first 82 at-bats of the season, but he homered to right field in his first two plate appearances against Lake County starter Juan Hillman. The Dominican Republic native grounded out in the fifth, but came through with the clutch double two innings later.
With the game tied, Diaz gave the Kernels the lead for good with a two-out bases-loaded double to left. It was his second three-hit effort in five games, part of an 8-for-20 stretch that has lifted his average 43 points to .267.

"Most of the time, I try and keep the same approach," Diaz said. "I'm up there looking for a ball in my attack zone, which for me is middle-in. I just want to drive it each and every time, so that really doesn't change. I know that when I square the ball up, I can give a good ride to the outfield, but I'm never up there trying to do anything too big or too small. Just look for a pitch in the zone and hit it."
After batting .310/.353/.575 for Rookie-level Elizabethton last season, Diaz was promoted to the Midwest League to begin 2017. The 20-year-old first baseman struggled at times during the opening month, hitting .224 as recently as April 25.
"I started out the year slower than I would have liked," he said. "I'm really not used to the cold weather, which may have played a little part in things. But I tried to stay positive mentally and keep plugging away. I actually was squaring up a lot of balls early on, but just right at people. It's tough not to get frustrated, but you just need to keep moving forward.
"I got used to playing in the cooler weather, and now it's starting to warm up and I'm seeing the ball much better, so I'm starting to feel good."

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2013, Diaz has played in only 116 professional games in the United States. He began his career in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 2014. With his first full-season campaign underway, he knows a long grind awaits him.
"One of the biggest things I'm learning is to really take care of my body," Diaz said. "I worked all offseason to get strong. I ate better and spent time in the gym to help myself condition better, which hopefully helps me get through the season." 

Aaron Whitefield went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and fell a triple shy of the cycle for the Kernels.
Hector Lujan (1-0) didn't allow a hit or a run in three innings of relief. The right-hander struck out two and walked one to pick up the win.
Hillman, Cleveland's 12th-ranked prospect, allowed three runs on six hits without a walk and three strikeouts over five innings. He didn't factor into the decision.