Ryan Walker got all excited Tuesday night when he received the message in Florida to pack his bags and head to Cedar Rapids as quickly as possible to help the injury-plagued Kernels, but nothing comes easy for the Kernels these days.

Walker was headed to the ballpark in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday night to pack his gear when he got stuck in the elevator at his hotel for more than an hour.

"We were going to the field to pick up my stuff," he related Wednesday night after the Kernels dropped their second straight doubleheader to Peoria. "Halfway down at Floor 2.5 the power went out, so I spent about an hour in there."

Hotel guests and personnel knew he was in there by himself, but there was nothing anyone could do for awhile. He had to wait and let the firefighters and the rescue crew do their job.

"People were yelling at me, but I couldn't tell where it was coming from," he said.

Walker tried to relax and listened to music on his cell phone until he finally got out of that elevator. He ended up collecting his gear Wednesday morning instead of Tuesday night.

Walker and Carlos Avila, also summoned from Extended Spring Training in Florida to replace two injured Kernels, arrived at Veterans Memorial Stadium about 4:30 Wednesday afternoon after making a connecting flight in Detroit.

Walker was used as a pinch-runner in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Peoria and was the starting shortstop in the nightcap, but after getting stuck in the elevator he's joined a club that's stuck in a slump.

The Kernels dropped their second straight twinbill to the Peoria Chiefs, this time 4-3 and 5-3, before 937 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium. That made four losses to the Chiefs in the span of two days, all by tight margins.

Cedar Rapids left 20 players on base in the doubleheader, spanning 14 frustrating innings, as their record dipped under .500 to 19-20.

"We've had a lot of situations, it seems like, with the bases loaded and one out and we don't get anything," said Manager Jake Mauer. "It happened the first game, it happened this game. It's like we're waiting for somebody else to do something."

Walker went 1-for-4 in the second game, but left six runners on base. "Hopefully I'll get in the swing of things and start contributing a lot more," he said.

Walker appeared in six games with the Kernels last season and was ticketed for Cedar Rapids again this year in spring training, but he broke a finger about a week before the season-opener and stayed in Extended Spring Training.

Shortstop Engelb Vielma (hamstring) and center fielder Jason Kanzler (concussion) were placed on the Disabled List Wednesday after getting hurt Tuesday night, which led to Walker and Avila getting the call to head north. Avila, an infielder, did not play Wednesday night.

Walker said he's fully healthy and ready to play as much as possible.

"Actually the timing worked out. I've been good to go for about a week," he said. "Not being hurt and not on the injured list is a good feeling."

Todd Van Steensel continued his impressive pitching for the Kernels with four strong innings in relief in the second game. He allowed only one hit and struck out five batters, giving the Australian 20 strikeouts in 12 innings this season with a 0.75 ERA.

Mauer said he might look to give Van Steensel a spot in the starting rotation.

Chad Christensen snapped out of a mini-slump for the Kernels and went 4 for 8 in the twinbill with two RBIs. He played right field in both games for the first time this season.

The Kernels start a four-game series in Burlington Thursday night. Their next home game is Monday night against Beloit.

GAME 1

PEORIA (4): McElroy, cf, 4 2 1 0, Herrera, ss, 3 1 2 0, Kelly, c, 3 0 0 0, Castillo, dh, 4 0 0 0, Peoples-Walls, lf, 3 0 1 1, Valera, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Bosco, rf, 3 1 1 0, Stone, 1b, 3 0 2 0, Schulze, 3b, 2 0 0 0. Totals 28 4 7 1.

KERNELS (3): Williams, lf, 4 0 0 0, Vavra, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Christensen, rf, 4 1 2 0, Haar, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Garver, dh, 2 2 2 0, Walker, pr, 0 0 0 0, Altobelli, 1b, 4 0 2 0, Quesada, c, 4 0 2 1, Licon, ss, 4 0 2 2, Thomas, cf, 2 0 0 0. Totals 31 3 10 3.

Peoria     100 110 1 - 4 7 0  
Kernels    000 201 0 - 3 10 2

Reed, Herget (6), Polanco (6), Loraine (7) and Valera. Stewart, Bixler (5) and Quesada. W - Polanco (1-0). L - Bixler (2-2). S - Loraine (4). 2B - Herrera (9). E - Vavra (5), Quesada (1). T - 2:24.

GAME 2

PEORIA (5): McElroy, cf, 4 1 1 0, Valera, 3b, 3 1 1 0, Herrera, ss, 3 1 1 1, Castillo, rf, 3 1 1 0, Peoples-Walls, lf, 2 1 0 1, Bean, c, 3 0 2 2, Young, dh, 3 0 0 0, Katz, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Stone, 1b, 3 0 0 0. Totals 27 5 6 4.

KERNELS (3): Williams, lf, 4 0 1 1, Walker, ss, 4 0 1 0, Christensen, rf, 4 0 2 2, Haar, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Garver, c, 4 0 1 0, Altobelli, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Licon, 2b, 3 1 2 0, Santy, dh, 2 1 1 0, Thomas, cf, 2 1 1 0. Totals 31 3 10 3.

Peoria     500 000 0 - 5 6 0 
Kernels    003 000 0 - 3 10 2

Brookshire, Sabatino (4), Thomas (7) and Bean. Penilla, Van Steensel (4) and Garver. W - Sabatino (1-0). L - Penilla (0-1). S - Thomas (6). 2B -Christensen (7). E - Thomas (1), Licon (5). T - 2:05. A - 937.