Steer, Snyder Homer Within 8-5 Defeat

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Home runs from Spencer Steer and Gabe Snyder were not enough Saturday as the Cedar Rapids Kernels lost to the Beloit Snappers, 8-5, in front of a season-high crowd of 2,018 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. This was the second socially-distanced sellout of the season for Cedar Rapids (8-9).

Beloit (9-8) opened the scoring with runs in the second and third innings. Griffin Conine’s opposite-field home run put the Snappers in front, 1-0. Thomas Jones extended the lead to 2-0 on an RBI double.

Steer pushed Cedar Rapids ahead during the sixth. After Alex Isola’s walk and Leobaldo Cabrera’s single, Steer cleared the bases with a three-run blast to left-center field that gave the Kernels their first lead at 3-2.

Over the next two frames, the Snappers tallied six runs and built an 8-3 advantage. Conine tied the game with a seventh-inning walk before Ricky Aracena delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Two errors in the eighth helped Beloit plate four unearned insurance runs.

Snyder’s eighth-inning homer closed the deficit to 8-5. Michael Helman hit a one-out single and was still at first base two batters later when Snyder deposited a two-run clout into the Plumbers & Pipefitters Pavilion.

Alberto Guerrero (1-0) tallied 10 strikeouts over six innings and picked up a quality start along with the win. Evan Brabrand was credited with a hold after protecting a one-run lead in the seventh while escaping a bases-loaded jam. The loss went to Jon Olsen (0-2) who yielded two runs in three frames of relief.

Cedar Rapids closes the first half of its 12-game homestand Sunday by hosting one more contest with the Beloit Snappers. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m., and Kernels right-hander Ben Gross (0-0, 3.52) will face Snappers right-hander Jake Walters (0-1, 8.31). Fans that are unable to attend the game can follow the action with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on www.kernels.com and MiLB.TV.

The series finale is a Kids Eat Free Sunday presented by Great Clips and Z102.9. All kids aged 12 and under receive a voucher for a free hot dog, small popcorn, and a choice of a 12 oz. soda or water. The Kernels will wear special jerseys sponsored by Great Clips that will be auctioned off later this season. Baseball Bingo courtesy of the Ox Yoke Inn is also on tap for Sunday.

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.