The sun came out in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, but a temperature that neared 60 degrees was not enough to warm up the Kernels’ bats as they dropped both ends of their Midwest League doubleheader against the Clinton LumberKings at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Cedar Rapids lost, 4-1, in the opener and things only got worse for the Kernels in Game 2 as they fell to Clinton, 6-0.

The Kernels had trouble finding outfield grass at the plate, totaling 19 groundouts in the two games.

“We’ll have to have games where those groundballs find holes,” said Manager Jake Mauer. “But we’re not a team that’s going to score 10-12 runs a game. That’s not going to happen.

"We’ve got to find ways to keep it close and find ways to scratch out three or four runs and bunch something together. That’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Lefty Randy Rosario (0-1) was pinned with the loss in the first game, giving up a pair of solo home runs among the six hits he forfeited in just 3 2/3 innings.

Brandon Bixler relieved Rosario with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and coaxed an inning-ending groundball from Clinton’s Martin Peguero. Bixler retired the first six hitters he faced during his 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief work, but the damage had been done.

Kernels right fielder Zack Larson legged out an infield single in the first inning and advanced to second base on a throwing error by Kings shortstop Jack Reinheimer, but that was Cedar Rapids’ only hit until Zack Granite’s two-out single in the fifth inning.

Clinton starting pitcher Eddie Campbell threw five shutout innings, giving up just two hits while striking out five batters. The Kernels worked Campbell for four walks.

Following Campbell’s departure, Cedar Rapids first baseman Bryan Haar singled up the middle in the sixth inning for the Kernels’ third hit of the game. One batter later, Michael Quesada’s line drive into the right-field corner scored Haar from first base for the Kernels’ first and only run of the game and, as it turned out, of the day.

Ryan Eades (0-1), the Twins' second-round draft pick a year ago, got his first start on the mound for the Kernels in Game 2. Eades tossed four shutout innings at the LumberKings, but trouble found him in the fifth.

Clinton tallied three runs on three singles and two walks, along with a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. Eades left the game with two outs in the frame and was tagged with the loss.

Brandon Peterson entered the game with two outs and the bases loaded and gave up a single that drove in Clinton’s third run of the game. Only a Larson on-target throw from right field to the plate gunning down a runner kept the damage from being worse.

Clinton tacked on three more runs in the top half of the seventh inning off Kernels reliever Alex Muren. The Kernels went down in order in their half of the final frame.

The Kernels will complete their initial homestand of the season Sunday against Clinton at 2:05 p.m.