Cedar Rapids Kernels slugger Adam Brett Walker planned to relax Monday night and watch the Major League Home Run Derby on ESPN.

"That's always fun, especially to see how far they go," he said. "That's always nice."

That could be him in the Home Run Derby some day if he keeps this up much longer.

Walker belted two more impressive homers Monday afternoon, including a towering drive that traveled at least 450 feet, but they weren't enough to prevent the Kernels from dropping a 6-5 decision to the Bowling Green Hot Rods before 3,136 fans on a steamy day at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Kernels hit four home runs, with Max Kepler and Travis Harrison also connecting, but they could not overcome a 6-1 deficit in the final game of a six-game homestand.

Walker, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound right fielder from Milwaukee, leads the Midwest League with 18 home runs and is second in the league with 79 RBIs, trailing only teammate Dalton Hicks who has 82.

Walker, enjoying his second massive hot streak of the season, has hit five home runs in the last five games after moving into the cleanup spot in the batting order. He belted five homers in four straight games in April when he was named the two-time Midwest League Player of the Week.

When he's hot, he's really hot.

"Pretty much laying off bad pitches," he explained. "I'm starting to see the ball well and I can get into a hitter's count. Usually when I hit the ball hard, good things happen."

Walker smacked a majestic solo shot in the fourth inning that soared well beyond the porch in left field and into the street. Fans sitting in the left-field pavilion motioned to people on 8th Avenue to keep going in their search for the ball in a neighbor's yard.

It had to have been hit at least 450 feet in the air.

"Oh, I would say without a doubt," remarked Cedar Rapids Manager Jake Mauer. "It was hit a long ways. It was in the air a long time. That's the power he gets."

As Kevin Costner's Crash Davis character said to Nuke LaLoosh in "Bull Durham," anything that travels that far ought to have a stewardess on it.

Walker did not want to guess how far it went.

"I have no idea," he said, "but I think that may be the farthest one I've hit in a game. I really don't know. But it felt good, that's for sure."

Mauer thinks Walker has adjusted his swing during the hot streak.

"He's just shorter. He shortens his swing up. And laying off the breaking ball, which I think is huge," said Mauer. "He doesn't miss that fastball. That's when he gets going. He hit it a long ways."

Kepler and Harrison hit back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh inning to pull the Kernels within 6-3. Hicks hit a double in the eighth inning and Walker belted a two-run rocket to left-center for his second homer of the day to make it 6-5.

That home run did not travel as far as his first one, but the ball probably had a dent in it when it stopped rolling.

The Kernels (56-36) had two runners on base with one out in the ninth inning, but the rally fizzled short.

Walker acknowledged he'd like to lead the Midwest League in home runs this season.

"Absolutely," he said. "It would definitely look good, but I try not to put too much on the whole stat thing. Leading the league in something, that's always a nice accomplishment."

Jose Berrios (5-5) had a so-so outing for the Kernels and took the loss. He was charged with five runs in five innings as his ERA climbed to 3.93. Four Kernels pitchers walked six batters and allowed 11 hits, which was too much to overcome.

The Kernels also missed a hit-and-run sign and botched two bunt attempts. They did a good job on the big stuff with four homers, but struggled with the little things.

The Kernels and Beloit Snappers lead the Midwest League with 79 home runs apiece.

Cedar Rapids is idle Tuesday and will begin a three-game series at Lake County (Ohio) on Wednesday. The Kernels' next home game is scheduled for Wednesday night, July 24 against Peoria.

BOWLING GREEN (6): Rickard, cf, 4 1 1 0, Goeddel, 3b, 4 1 1 2, Coyle, 2b, 4 3 1 0, Maile, c, 3 1 1 0, O'Conner, dh, 4 0 2 2, Gantt, lf, 4 0 0 0, Leonard, 1b, 4 0 2 1, Dunn, rf, 4 0 2 1, Martin, ss, 4 0 1 0. Totals 35 6 11 6.

CEDAR RAPIDS (5): Williams, lf, 5 0 0 0, Polanco, ss, 5 0 1 0, Hicks, dh, 4 1 1 0, Walker, rf, 4 2 2 3, Kepler, 1b, 4 1 1 1, Harrison, 3b, 4 1 1 1, Grimes, c, 2 0 1 0, Pineda, pr, 0 0 0 0, Goodrum, 2b, 3 0 2 0, Murphy, cf, 2 0 0 0. Totals 33 5 9 5.

Bowling Green   000 104 100 - 6 11 1
Kernels             000 100 220 - 5 9 0

Guerrieri, Spann (3), Pruitt (7), Garton (8), Jensen (9) and Maile. Berrios, Brewer (6), Boyd (7), Boer (9) and Grimes. W - Spann (3-1). L - Berrios (5-5). Sv - Jensen (2). 2B - Leonard (16), Hicks (31). 3B - Martin (2). HR - Goeddel (5), Walker 2 (18), Kepler (4), Harrison (15). E - Goeddel (26). T - 3:05. A - 3,136.