Metro Sports Report

Even claims Pribyl golf title

Like a lot of young golfers in Cedar Rapids, Jordan Even admires Zach Johnson and the way he manages a course.

Smart, steady, avoid trouble.

Even borrowed a page from Johnson this week and won the Pribyl Rotary junior championship with another solid round at Elmcrest Country Club Friday.

Even fired rounds this week of 75 at Gardner, 74 at the Cedar Rapids Country Club, 74 at Hunters Ridge and 74 again at Elmcrest to finish at 297 and clip Conner Koberg by two shots.

Kernels tie for top with clutch win

If you like a good pennant race, look no further than the Western Division of the Midwest League.

It doesn't get any tighter than this.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Western Division Thursday night when they rallied for a 4-3 victory in 11 innings over Kane County before 3,347 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Mitch Garver led off the bottom of the 11th by ripping a double to left-center field, then Bryan Haar followed with a double off the left-field wall to drive in pinch-runner Jon Murphy with the winning run.

Vavra enjoys playing ball with Mauer

Tanner Vavra used to hang around the batting cages at the Metrodome and Target Field in Minneapolis, watching Joe Mauer take batting practice with the Minnesota Twins and admiring the way he played ball.

Vavra had an even better view Wednesday night when he played second base for the Cedar Rapids Kernels and Mauer was just a few feet away at first base for the Kernels.

"It's kind of cool, being on the same field with somebody you looked up to and watched during a bit of your high school days and middle school days," said Vavra. "It was a lot of fun. A lot of fun to be out there with him."

Vavra's father, Joe, is a coach with the Minnesota Twins, so Vavra got to spend part of his summers with the Major League team, watching Mauer win batting titles and become a major star.

Mauer has been with the Kernels this week on a rehab assignment, trying to recover from a strained oblique muscle, while Vavra has been with the club all season.

Mauer, Nolasco give Kernels a boost

Joe Mauer has scored 726 runs during his all-star career with the Minnesota Twins, but he got an extra jolt of adrenaline Tuesday night when his brother asked him to score a run for the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Mauer was perched on second base in the third inning when Bryan Haar hit a single to left field. Mauer got a good jump and looked at the third-base coach to see what he wanted him to do.

The coach was none other than Jake Mauer, Joe's protective older brother. Jake gave Joe the signal to score even though Joe had not played in a game since July 1 and is recovering from a strained oblique muscle.

"I kind of had a feeling off the bat that, knowing Jake, I'd be going home," Joe Mauer said with a smile, acknowledging Jake's competitive nature and good judgment.