Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

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The Cedar Rapids Kernels have used 51 different players this season, which is more than enough for two full teams.

There's been a lot of shuffling, but Manager Jake Mauer likes the 25 guys he has on the club right now as the Kernels make a strong push for the Midwest League playoffs.

The Kernels spanked Peoria, 11-0, Friday before 3,886 fans on Hawkeye Sports Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium for their fourth straight victory.

The Kernels have used a steady flow of players due to injuries, promotions, demotions and guys being outright released, but they've managed to piece it together and are playing some of their best baseball of the season right now.

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Kernels taking ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Cedar Rapids Kernels players and members of the front office staff have accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS Awareness and will do so Monday, Aug. 18 at noon on the main concourse at Perfect Game Field right inside the main gates.

The Kernels host Quad Cities Monday night at 6:35.

A donation to ALS will be made by the Kernels staff and players as a group. The Kernels accepted the challenge put forth by the ALS Association Iowa Chapter and the New Britain Rock Cats, the Twins' Double-A affiliate.

Donations can be made by visiting the ALS website at www.als.org

Kernels roll past Beloit, 10-3

BELOIT, Wis. - The Minnesota Twins keep making changes to the Cedar Rapids Kernels roster, but it doesn't seem to matter.

The Kernels keep winning.

Mitch Garver led a 14-hit attack Thursday night as the Kernels dumped Beloit, 10-3, in a Midwest League game before 1,034 fans at Pohlman Field.

The Kernels swept the three-game series from Beloit and remained one game behind Kane County in the Western Division standings for the second half of the season.

Cedar Rapids is 62-60 overall and 31-21 for the second half, despite a series of roster moves in the past few weeks.

Jonatan Hinojosa, the new third baseman and leadoff hitter, went 2-for-5 and scored twice. Max Murphy, the new center fielder, belted his second home run two days and was 2-fo-5. Alex Swim, another recent addition in right field, was 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

Garver, who has been with the club all season, went 3-for-5 and collected three RBIs as the designated hitter. Chad Christensen went 2-for-5 and had two RBIs and Engelb Vielma was 2-for-5.

Matt Batts, who also joined the club recently, pitched six strong innings for his first victory with Cedar Rapids. Brian Gilbert, another new addition who was with the club last year, pitched two innings and Brandon Bixler tossed the final frame.

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Buxton suffers concussion in collision

Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, MLB.com's top overall prospect and a 2013 member of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, suffered a concussion Wednesday night in a violent collision in right-center field while making his Double-A debut with New Britain.

Twins executive vice president and general manager Terry Ryan confirmed on the Rock Cats' broadcast that Buxton was diagnosed with a concussion. He said Buxton was unconscious for about 10 minutes following the collision but is "fine" now.

"He's alert," Ryan said after accompanying Buxton to the hospital. "He has a concussion, so we'll have to take the normal procedure and protocol with concussion symptoms. He'll certainly be watched.

"We're grateful for just the concussion. ... I thought it'd be a lot more severe than the results here, because actually they took Byron off, he was knocked out there for about 10 minutes, so that was very scary."

In the fifth inning of his first Eastern League game, Buxton was chasing a line drive to right-center field when he collided with right fielder Mike Kvasnicka. Kvasnicka's knee appeared to hit Buxton around his left shoulder or neck.

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Stewart, Hu shine for Kernels

BELOIT, Wis. - Kohl Stewart and Chih-Wei Hu combined on a six-hitter Wednesday night as the Cedar Rapids Kernels dumped Beloit, 6-1, in a Midwest League game before 1,036 fans at Pohlman Field.

Stewart, who came off the disabled list Wednesday, allowed one run on three hits in four innings. Hu, normally a starter, pitched five innings in relief and did not allow any runs on three hits.

Stewart struck out four batters and did not walk anyone. Hu (5-1, 2.54 ERA) struck out three Snappers with one walk.

J.D. Williams hit a solo home run for Cedar Rapids and Max Murphy belted a two-run shot.

Jonatan Hinojosa, Mitch Garver, Murphy and Williams had two hits apiece. Chad Christensen hit his seventh triple and drove in his 65th run. Garver collected his 70th RBI.

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Kernels put Stewart back on mound

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday that pitcher Kohl Stewart has been activated from the 7-day disabled list and will start in Wednesday night's game at Beloit.

Stewart went on the DL July 25 with a right shoulder impingement. He has made 17 starts for the Kernels, posting a 3-5 record and 2.42 ERA. In 81.2 innings, he has allowed 69 hits and 33 runs (22 earned) with 23 walks and 53 strikeouts.

Kernels square record at 60-60

BELOIT, Wis. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored 10 runs in the fifth and sixth innings Tuesday night and belted the Beloit Snappers, 12-5, in a Midwest League game before 889 fans at Pohlman Field.

Chad Christensen drove in three runs for the Kernels. J.D. Williams,Engelb Vielma and Tanner Vavra had two RBIs apiece.

Logan Wade, Christensen, Mitch Garver, Alex Swim and Max Murphy had two hits apiece.

Ryan Eades (8-11, 5.67 ERA) allowed only two runs in six innings and got the victory.

The Kernels raised their overall record to 60-60. The Kernels have a 29-21 mark for the second half of the season and stand one game behind Kane County in the Western Division standings.

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Kernels make 3 roster moves

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Tuesday that pitcher Brian Gilbert will join the Kernels from Fort Myers in the Florida State League. Meanwhile, infielder Bryan Haar and pitcher Nick Burdi have been promoted to Fort Myers.

The Twins selected Gilbert in the seventh round of the 2013 draft from Seton Hall University. He pitched in 13 games for the Kernels last season with a 1-1 record, 1.06 ERA and five saves.

This year at Fort Myers, he had a 2-4 record, 4.93 ERA and five saves in eight chances. In 45.2 innings, he allowed 53 hits and 28 runs (25 earned) with 24 walks and 38 strikeouts.

Haar played in 108 games with the Kernels, batting .268 with 14 home runs and 63 RBIs. He was second on the team in home runs, RBIs and doubles (20) and was selected to the MWL Western Division All-Star Team.

Burdi made 13 relief appearances for the Kernels, posting a 4.15 ERA with four saves. In 13 innings, he allowed eight hits and six runs (all earned) with eight walks and 26 strikeouts. He was the Twins' second-round selection in the 2014 draft from the University of Louisville.

With today's transactions, the Kernels roster is at 24 active players, one shy of the Midwest League maximum of 25.

Mauer joins Twins; Kernels get Hinojosa

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Monday that infielder Jonatan Hinojosa has joined the Kernels from Elizabethton and first baseman Joe Mauer has ended his MLB rehab assignment and rejoined the Minnesota Twins.

Hinojosa played in one game with the Kernels April 23, going 0-3 with a sacrifice. The Twins signed Hinojosa as a non-drafted free agent in 2009. He has played in 32 games at Elizabethton this year, batting .247 (24 for 97) with two triples and eight RBIs.

Mauer played in four games during his rehab assignment, batting .400 (6 for 15) with two runs scored and an RBI. He is expected to be on the Twins' roster for their upcoming series in Houston.

The Kernels begin a three-game road trip Tuesday night at Beloit. They return to Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday and open a six-game homestand with games against Peoria and Quad Cities.