Sky Carp Erupt for 12 Runs, Best Kernels in Second-Half Opener 12-2

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Sky Carp scored 10 straight runs across the middle innings to power past the Kernels 12-2 in the first game of the second half of the season Friday night.

For the first time in the series, Cedar Rapids got on the board first. Marek Houston led off the bottom of the first with a walk. After he stole second base, he scored on a Walker Jenkins RBI single to put the Kernels on top 1-0.

But that was the last Kernels lead of the night. Beloit starter Nate Payne allowed just one run on two hits across six strong innings while striking out eight en route to the win.

Beloit took the lead it would not lose in the top of the second. A hit-by-pitch and a walk put two on for Esmil Valencia, who lined a three-run home run to left to lift the Sky Carp ahead 3-1.

From there, the Sky Carp added on. In the third, a hit-by-pitch and a steal put Brandon Compton in scoring position for Abrahan Ramirez, who drove him in with an RBI single.

In the fourth, a Colby Shade single followed by back-to-back RBI extra-base hits from Wilfredo Lara and Dillon Head scored two to make it a 6-1 Beloit lead.

In the sixth, a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch scored another Sky Carp run. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Ramirez added two more runs with a two-run double to grow the Beloit lead to 9-1.

The Sky Carp got into double figures in the eighth. A walk and a wild pitch put Compton on second for Starlyn Caba, who drove him with an RBI single to make it a 10-1 lead.

The Kernels ended the Sky Carp scoring run in the bottom of the eighth. A hit-by-pitch and two walks loaded the bases for Enrique Jimenez, who worked a walk to drive in a run to cut the deficit to 10-2. But that was the closest the Cedar Rapids would get. Compton crushed a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to increase the Beloit lead to 12-2, the score that would be the final.

The loss drops the Kernels to 31-34 on the season and to 0-1 to start the second half. The series with the Sky Carp continues on Saturday at 6:35. Eston Stull gets the start for Cedar Rapids against Liomar Martinez.