BELOIT, Wis. - Chad Lewis singled home Ryan Matthews in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Beloit Snappers a 3-2 win over the Kernels Monday night before 449 fans at Pohlman Field.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Lewis hit a grounder toward the middle and it hit the second base bag to elude the Kernels middle infielders.

Either shortstop Niko Goodrum or second baseman Jorge Polanco were likely to glove the ball had it not hit the base. A potential force-out at second base would have kept the score tied and sent the game to extra innings.

The second walk-off hit for Lewis in the series gave Beloit the series, 2-1, as the Kernels lost for the first time in a series finale.

With reliever Tim Atherton on the mound, the ninth inning began with a Bruce Maxwell base on balls. Renato Nunez struck out, but Matt Olson and Rashun Dixon drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.

Atherton struck out John Wooten and had two strikes on Lewis before the walk-off RBI single.

Atherton (2-2) suffered the loss as he allowed one run and one hit over 1.2 innings. He struck out five and walked four.

Matthew Tomshaw was excellent for the Kernels as he started and went a season-high seven innings. The former Beloit Snapper allowed two runs on four hits while striking out five and walking one.

At one point, Tomshaw retired 11 batters in a row and his only blemish was a two-run home run by Nunez in seventh inning. Nunez's ninth homer of the season and second in the series put Beloit up 2-1 and gave them their irst lead of the game.

The Kernels quickly tied the game 2-2 in the eighth inning. Byron Buxton reached first when he grounded to short and was safe when Lewis dropped the throw at first base. Buxton stole second base and came home on Polanco's two-out single to center.

The Kernels led 1-0 after the game's first two hitters, Buxton and Goodrum, came to the plate in the first inning and got the Kernels offense rolling right away. Buxton singled, stole second base and came home on Goodrum's RBI double.

Vince Voiro (2-1) went four innings in relief for the Snappers, allowing one unearned run on two hits. Derek DeYoung pitched the game's first five innings, allowing one run on five hits. The duo combined to strike out 10 Kernels and walk none.

The Kernels (24-11) open a seven-game homestand Tuesday night at 6:35 against the Burlington Bees. Lefthander Brett Lee (2-2, 2.29 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for Cedar Rapids.

KERNELS (2): Buxton, cf, 4 2 1 0, Goodrum, ss, 4 0 2 1, Polanco, 2b, 4 0 1 1, Hicks, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Walker, rf, 4 0 0 0, Harrison, 3b, 4 0 1 0, Grimes, c, 4 0 0 0, Pimentel, dh, 3 0 1 0, Williams, lf, 3 0 1 0. Totals 34 2 7 2.

BELOIT (3): Vertigan, cf, 4 0 0 0, Robertson, ss, 4 0 0 0, Maxwell, c, 3 1 1 0, Mathews, pr, 0 1 0 0, Nunez, 3b, 4 1 2 2, Olson, dh, Dixon, lf, 2 0 0 0, Wooten, rf, 4 0 0 0, Lewis, 1b, 4 0 1 1, Bostick, 2b, 2 0 1 0. Totals 30 3 5 3.

Kernels    100 000 010 - 2 7 1
Beloit       000 000 201 - 3 5 1

Tomshaw, Atherton (8) and Grimes. DeYoung, Voiro (6) and Maxwell. W - Voiro (2-1). L - Atherton (2-2). 2B - Goodrum (8), Williams (6). 3B - Goodrum (2). HR - Nunez (9). SB - Buxton 2 (15), Bostick (7). E - Polanco (4), Lewis (5). T - 2:23. A - 449.