It was Chad Christensen Night at the ballpark Monday, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels did not give away any bobblehead dolls in honor of their native son.

Not yet, anyway.

Christensen belted two home runs, drove in four runs and went 4-for-4 as the Kernels clipped Beloit, 6-3, in a Midwest League game before 1,241 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Christensen did not hit any homers in his first 35 games with the Kernels heading into Monday's game, covering 150 plate appearances and 136 official at-bats. Then he smacked two homers in his first two at-bats Monday to left field.

"I just got some good pitches over the plate," he said modestly. "I tried to be be aggressive with them and the ball got out of the yard a few times.

"It was good," he said. "It was quite a long time without hitting one. I just have to keep trying to have good at-bats."

Christensen's parents, Tracy and Dick, were in the stands Monday. So was his younger brother Drew. Christensen figured they'd celebrate his big night by going out for some food after the game, although Drew (an eighth grader) has school on Tuesday.

Christensen's first home run hooked around the foul pole in left field. Josh Root, the home-plate umpire, initially called it foul, but Kernels Manager Jake Mauer appealed the ruling. Root met with Kirk Struble, the base umpire, and Struble convinced Root to change his mind and rule it a two-run homer.

Christensen stopped at second base and had walked halfway back to home plate before the umpires had their meeting in the middle of the field.

When it was ruled a homer, Christensen went back to second base and finished his trip around the bases.

"I thought it was for-sure fair," said Christensen. "Jake thought it was for-sure fair. I'm glad they got it right. That can be a tough call when it's that close."

Christensen socked another two-run homer in the third inning to snap a 3-3 tie and give the Kernels a 5-3 edge. Shortstop Ryan Walker, who went 4-for-5, was on base for both of Christensen's round-trippers.

Christensen raised his batting average 21 points from .279 to an even .300 with his performance. He singled in the fifth inning, when to second base on a balk and score on Bryan Haar's RBI single. He singled again in the seventh and stole second base (his team-leading 10th steal of the year).

Christensen, one of the most versatile guys on the team, played center field again Monday due to injuries to the regular center fielders (Zack Granite and Jason Kanzler, both on the disabled list). Christensen also has played left field, right field and first base this season and is capable of playing third base, shortstop and second base.

He said he likes the view from center field.

"I love center field," said Christensen, who was an all-state shortstop at Cedar Rapids Washington as well as an all-Big Ten shortstop and all-Big Ten outfielder at Nebraska. "I've always wanted to get out there real bad. It won't be permanent or anything."

Christensen played the corner outfield spots at Nebraska as a senior, but he runs well and has acquitted himself nicely in center field for the Kernels.

Josue Montanez (1-2) allowed three runs in five innings for the Kernels and got his first victory of the season. Yorman Landa and Hudson Boyd both tossed two scoreless innings in relief, with Boyd collecting his sixth save.

The Kernels (21-23) have won two straight games after losing eight in a row. They'll host Beloit (19-24) again Tuesday at 12:05 p.m. in a special noon game.

BELOIT (3): Powell, cf, 5 0 1 0, Mercedes, ss, 4 1 1 0, Brugman, lf, 4 0 2 0, Marincov, rf, 4 1 2 2, Vollmuth, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Baez, 3b, 5 0 0 0, Mathews, dh, 4 1 1 0, Roberts, 2b, 3 0 1 0, Chavez, c, 4 0 1 1. Totals 36 3 9 3.

KERNELS (6): Walker, ss, 5 2 4 1, Vavra, 2b, 5 0 0 0, Christensen, cf, 4 3 4 4, Garver, dh, 2 0 1 0, Williams, lf, 4 0 0 0, Haar, 3b, 4 0 2 1, Altobelli, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Quesada, c, 4 0 0 0, Thomas, rf, 3 1 1 0. Totals 35 6 12 6.

Beloit    012 000 000 - 3 9 0
Kernels   203 010 00x - 6 12 1

Herrera, Vail (6), Pudenz (7), Hollstegge (8) and Chavez. Montanez, Landa (6), Boyd (8) and Quesada. W - Montanez (1-2). L - Herrera (2-4). S - Boyd (6). 2B - Roberts (4), Mathews (7), Chavez (1), Thomas (1), Haar (7). 3B - Walker (1). HR - Christensen 2 (2). SB - Christensen (10). E - Haar (7). T - 2:59. A - 1,241.