For a team sitting atop most of the Midwest League’s hitting categories, it wasn’t the kind of offensive performance the Kernels hoped to put on before the season’s largest crowd at Veterans Memorial Stadium. They fell to the Kane County Cougars, 4-0, in front of 4,582 fans.

It was the first time the Kernels (28-13) were shutout this season.

The team on the field may have lost the game, but the Kernels have had 30,031 fans come through the turnstiles through the first 18 home dates this season. It is only the second time since the ballpark opened in 2002 that the team has drawn more than 30,000 fans through the first 18 home dates. That’s about a 48 percent increase in attendance over last season’s first 18 home dates.

If only the game itself had been worthy of the crowd that showed up for the first fireworks night of the year.

On the other hand, any fans in attendance that appreciate a good pitchers duel got exactly that.

In a contest between the Kernels pitcher Jose Berrios, the Twins No.7 prospect according to Baseball America, and Kane County’s Pierce Johnson, the Cubs No.6 ranked prospect by BA, it was the Cougars’ Johnson who came out on top.

The Kernels put runners in scoring position at second or third base in each of the first four innings,  but Johnson consistently worked out of those jams, largely on the strength of nine strikeouts through his six innings.

“We just didn’t put too many good at-bats together once we got guys on,” Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said after the game. “I think if you get a couple of runs a little earlier…”

The thought was left unfinished but it was clear Mauer was referring to the scoring opportunities left on the bases in the first four innings.

Kernels third baseman Travis Harrison agreed with his manager, “We put pressure on them that one inning and couldn’t get it done.”

The inning Harrison referred to was the fourth, when the Kernels let their best opportunity to get on the board slip away.

Adam Brett Walker lined a single to left field to start the inning and Harrison beat out an infield ground ball up the middle. Tyler Grimes followed with a looping single to right field to load the bases with nobody out.

But Jhonatan Arias popped out to Cougar shortstop Marco Hernandez, JD Williams became Johnson’s fifth strikeout victim and Byron Buxton grounded to Hernandez, who forced out Grimes at second base to end the threat.

“That’s no good,” said Mauer. “That’s three days in a row we’ve had trouble with runners in scoring position. So, we’re going to have to talk it over and figure it out. They have to understand, we’re not the one in trouble, that guy (the pitcher) is. And we’re swinging like we’re the ones in trouble.

“That’s a shame,” added Mauer, “Berrios threw the ball pretty good.”

Berrios held the Cougar hitters scoreless for the first six innings. The tide seemed to turn against Berrios after he made a diving catch of Yaniel Cabazas foul ball in front of the Cougar dugout.
Berrios hit the next batter, Cougar second baseman Gioskar Amaya.

Amaya promptly stole second base and came around to score on an infield hit by Oliver Zapata. Zapata, in turn, scored when Kernels right fielder Adam Brett Walker missed the cut-off man following Pin-Chieh Chen’s double and the Kernels infield couldn’t corral the ball before Zapata crossed the plate.

Berrios spread seven hits across 6 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking none. Only the first of the two runs he allowed was earned, leaving him with a 2.86 ERA.

Josue Montanez and Josh Burris worked in relief of Berrios and each pitcher gave up a solo home run.

Meanwhile, Johnson and two Cougar relief pitchers combined to strike out 14 Kernels hitters.

Harrison, who was Friday night’s hero with a walk-off single in extra innings, was the only Kernels hitter with more than one hit Saturday. Harrison had two hits in three at-bats.

The teams meet again Sunday at 2:05 p.m. The Kernels are scheduled to send southpaw Matt Tomshaw (2-0, 4.70) to the mound against Kane County's Jose Rosario (0-0, 0.00).

KANE COUNTY (4): Chen, lf, 5 0 1 0, Rademacher, rf, 4 0 0 0, Vogelbach, dh, 4 0 2 0, Candelario, 3b, 4 0 1 0, Shoulders, 1b, 4 1 2 1, Hernandez, ss, 4 0 0 0, Cabezas, c, 4 0 0 0, Amaya, 2b, 3 1 1 0, Zapata, cf, 4 2 3 2, Johnson, p, 0 0 0 0, Amlung, p, 0 0 0 0, Antigua, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 36 4 10 3.

KERNELS (0): Buxton, cf, 5 0 1 0, Goodrum, ss, 3 0 1 0, Polanco, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Hicks, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Walker, rf, 2 0 1 0, Harrison, 3b, 4 0 2 0, Grimes, dh, 4 0 1 0, Arias, c, 3 0 1 0, Williams, lf, 4 0 0 0, Berrios, p, 0 0 0 0, Montanez, p, 0 0 0 0, Burris, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 33 0 7 0.

Kane County 000 000 211 - 4 10 0
Kernels          000 000 000 - 0  7 1

Johnson, Amlung (7), Antigua (9) and Cabezas. Berrios, Montanez (7), Burris (9) and Arias. W - Johnson (2-3). L - Berrios (3-1). 2B - Candelario (14), Vogelbach (7), Chen (5), Goodrum (11), Arias (2). HR - Shoulders (9), Zapata (3). SB - Amaya (5), Buxton (17). E - Walker (2). T - 2:28. A - 4,582.