The Kernels not only finished their final homestand of the regular season strong with an 8-2 win over the Kane County Cougars Friday night, but they finished strong at the box office as well.

With the 3,286 that attended the regular season home finale at Veterans Memorial Stadium, the Kernels totaled 180,688 in attendance for the year.

That total is the third largest total since the stadium opened with the 2002 season. It’s an increase of 12.9 percent over last season. The Kernels averaged 2,697 per game spread over the 67 home dates, which is second only to the 2,841 fans per game that showed up in 2002.

“All the stars pretty much aligned,” explained Kernels General Manager Doug Nelson. “We had excellent weather in June and July, an exciting team on the field and the new affiliation (with the Minnesota Twins). It all generated enthusiasm in the community.”

It wasn’t solely an increase in local interest that accounted for the increase in attendance, however. Nelson estimated that as many as 10,000 Twins fans from the upper Midwest made the trip to Cedar Rapids to watch the Kernels this summer.

On the field Friday night, perhaps what mattered most was the return to a more familiar lineup for Kernels Manager Jake Mauer.

Shortstop Niko Goodrum was re-activated from the 7-day disabled list prior to the game, his groin pull having healed, and outfielder/first baseman Max Kepler was back in the lineup in left field after missing five games with a gash on a finger that required 11 stitches to close.

“That was fun, watching those guys run around out there,” said Mauer. “We’ll see how everyone feels coming in tomorrow, hopefully, everyone feels good."

After Kane County notched a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning, Goodrum and second baseman Jorge Polanco, playing in just his second game since coming off the disabled list as well, hit back-to-back home runs in the Kernels half of the first to tie the Cougars 2-2.

Kepler led off the home half of the fourth inning by adding his own solo home run deep to right field to put the Kernels up 3-2, but that was just the beginning for Cedar Rapids.

Between Kepler’s home run and his fly ball to left field for the third out of the inning, the Kernels added another five runs. Cedar Rapids totaled six runs on five hits and three walks.

Four of the five hits were of the extra-base variety. In addition to Kepler’s home run, Michael Quesada drove in two runs with a triple, Goodrum and Licon added RBI doubles and Jonathan Murphy a single.

Goodrum led the Kernels with three hits on the night.

“I just kept working. I really didn’t lose it at all (during the time away),” Goodrum said, concerning his time on the disabled list. “I was hitting it well before I got hurt so it’s good to come back and put it in play.”

Kepler, too, was feeling good after his first game back in the lineup. “It felt good. I hit the ball well, sometimes right at people.”

The home run wasn’t hit right at anyone. “No, they can’t put someone on the other side (of the fence),” said Kepler, smiling.

After giving up two runs on four hits to the Cougars in the first inning, Kernels starting pitcher Josue Montanez (7-5) settled in and spread out just three more hits over the following six innings. He struck out five batters without surrendering a walk.

Mauer liked the way his pitcher battled back after the first inning.

“The biggest thing, he didn’t walk anybody,” Mauer observed. “He didn’t back down. I think that shows a little bit how far he’s come. Maybe two months ago, I don’t think he gets out of the first inning. I was proud of him. It was a hot day and he handled it really well.”

Dallas Gallant held the Cougars hitless in the eighth inning and Brian Gilbert closed out the game with an inning of two-hit relief in the ninth.

The Kernels begin the final series of the regular season against the Clinton Lumber Kings with a 6 p.m. game at Clinton on Saturday. Clinton clinched the final spot in the Midwest League playoffs Friday night.

The Kernels begin postseason play on the road Wednesday at Quad Cities and host the River Bandits on Thursday night.

KANE COUNTY (2): Amaya, dh, 4 1 1 0, Zapata, cf, 4 0 0 0, Candelario, 3b, 4 1 1 0, Contreras, 1b, 4 0 1 1, Papaccio, 2b, 4 0 1 1, Hernandez, ss, 4 0 0 0, Escobar, c, 4 0 3 0, Golden, rf, 4 0 2 0, Gretzky, lf, 4 0 0 0. Totals 36 2 9 2.

KERNELS (8): Murphy, cf, 5 1 2 0, Goodrum, ss, 5 1 3 3, Polanco, 2b, 3 1 1 1, Kepler, lf, 4 1 1 1, Gonzales, dh, 3 1 0 0, Walker, rf, 4 0 1 0, Altobelli, c, 3 1 0 0, Quesada, 1b, 2 1 1 2, Licon, 3b, 3 1 1 1. Totals 32 8 10 8.

Kane County  200 000 000 - 2  9 1
Kernels          200 600 00x - 8 10 1

Peralta, Yevoli (5), Iannazzo (6), McKirahan (7), Soccorro (8) and Escobar. Montanez, Gallant (8), Gilbert (9) and Altobelli. W-Montanez (7-5). L-Peralta (2-3). 2B-Amaya (26), Escobar (12), Licon (13), Goodrum (21). 3B-Quesada (1). HR-Goodrum (4), Polanco (5), Kepler (9). SB-Murphy (7). E-Gretzky (1), Polanco (18). T-2:36. A-3,286.