The Cedar Rapids Kernels wrapped up their homestand with another pitching gem Sunday as starting pitcher Ryan Eades (3-3) combined with his bullpen to shut out the Peoria Chiefs, 2-0, in front of 1,437 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Since giving up seven runs in a disastrous fourth inning in Thursday night’s loss to the Chiefs, Kernels pitchers have combined to toss 23 straight shutout innings.

Eades, the Minnesota Twins’ second-round draft pick in 2013, struck out five Chiefs batters in his five innings of work, giving up just three singles, but he worked from behind in the count much of the day and gave up a pair of walks.

“Eades didn’t have his best today,” Kernels Manager Jake Mauer observed. “He had a lot of three-ball counts. He spent a lot of pitches, but to his credit, he still was able to go five innings scoreless.

“He showed something today as far as being a starter. He takes responsibility. He gave us five scoreless and turned it over to the bullpen.”

And what a job that bullpen did. Yorman Landa and Hudson Boyd faced the minimum 12 batters over their four innings of combined work.

Landa delivered three innings of shutout work, striking out four. He gave up just an infield single that was erased by a subsequent double play. Landa has held opponents scoreless in each of his last four appearances out of the bullpen, giving up just four hits and striking out 15 batters during nine innings in that stretch.

Landa simply overpowered Peoria’s hitters.

“He did that to Clinton and he did that to Kane County, too,” Mauer said. “That’s pretty fun to watch, him going out there and being aggressive like that.”

Boyd finished the mound work for Cedar Rapids with a perfect ninth inning, striking out one and recording his fourth save.

Kernels hitters didn’t exactly light up Peoria starting pitcher and first round Cardinals draft-pick Rob Kaminsky, but they pushed across single runs in the second and third innings and that was enough to get Cedar Rapids the win.

Kaminsky, the 28th overall pick in last year’s draft, gave up both Kernels runs, along with five hits and two walks in his four innings of work.

“You’d like to score some more runs,” conceded Mauer, “but a win’s a win.”

J.D. Williams was the only Kernels hitter with more than one hit. Williams singled twice, walked once and scored a run on Chad Christensen’s RBI ground ball in the third inning.

Jason Kanzler drove in the first Cedar Rapids run with a second inning sacrifice fly, scoring Ivory Thomas.

Williams rejoined the Kernels this week and has been a welcome addition to the club. He played for Cedar Rapids last year as well.

“He’s a guy obviously that’s got leadership qualities that we’ve all seen last year,” Mauer said. “He plays with energy and he’s got experience.”

What remains to be seen is how long Mauer and the Kernels will have Williams’ services.

Former Kernel Byron Buxton was activated by the Fort Myers Miracle Sunday, when another former Kernel, D.J. Hicks, was placed on the Disabled List.

It’s widely expected that Buxton, whose start to the season has been delayed by a wrist injury suffered in spring training, will play just a handful of games in Fort Myers before joining Class AA New Britain. That move could perhaps open a spot for Williams with Fort Myers in a week or so.

Sunday's win moves the Kernels (17-12) within three games of Division leading Kane County in the standings and within a half-game of second place Peoria.

The Kernels begin a six-game road trip Monday with a 7 p.m. game at Quad Cities. The team will have next Sunday, Mother’s Day, off and then returns home to open a short three-game homestand against these same Peoria Chiefs beginning Monday, May 12.

PEORIA (0): Bosco, cf, 4 0 1 0, Katz, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Herrera, ss, 2 0 0 0, Valera, ss/2b, 4 0 0 0, Castillo, rf, 4 0 2 0, Peoples-Walls, dh, 3 0 0 0, Bean, c, 3 0 0 0, Stone, 1b, 1 0 0 0, Young, lf, 3 0 1 0, Schulze, 3b, 3 0 0 0. Totals 29 0 4 0.

KERNELS (2): Williams, lf, 3 1 2 0, Wade, 2b, 4 0 1 0, Christensen, 1b, 4 0 0 1, Thomas, rf, 1 1 0 0, Larson, dh, 4 0 0 0, Haar, 3b, 4 0 1 0, Kanzler, cf, 2 0 0 1, Altobelli, c, 2 0 1 0, Vielma, ss, 3 0 0 0. Totals 27 2 5 2.

Peoria    000 000 000 - 0 4 1
Kernels   011 000 00x - 2 5 0

Kaminsky, Brookshire (5), Barraclough (7), Thomas (8) and Bean. Eades, Landa (6), Boyd (9) and Altobelli. W - Eades (3-3). L - Kaminsky (0-1). S - Boyd (4). 2B - Albobelli (3). SB - Young (2), Thomas (2). E - Katz (7). T - 2:24. A - 1,437.