The Cedar Rapids Kernels put themselves through six hours of misery Friday night and early Saturday morning.

The Kernels dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Great Lakes Loons and both games went into extra innings on a cool, soggy night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Loons won the first game, 4-3, in 13 innings and they captured the second game, 3-1, in eight innings.

Both contests were supposed to last seven innings, but neither team could muster enough offense during regulation.

The Midwest League doubleheader began at 5:33 p.m. Friday and ended just a few minutes shy of 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

There was some good news for the Kernels.

Despite the defeats, the Kernels are still five games ahead of Kane County and Burlington for a playoff spot with only nine games left in the first half of the season.

The other good news was the announced crowd of 3,439, which was a season-high at the stadium on Jurassic Park Night and Scouts Night. Only a smattering of fans were still around at the end, mostly the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts who would be camping on Perfect Game Field for the rest of the evening.

The Kernels (36-25) wasted excellent relief pitching by Luke Bard, Randy LeBlanc and Jose Velez in the first game. They combined to pitch nine innings and allowed just one unearned run, but it cost them and Velez the game in the 13th inning.

The Kernels also wasted an excellent outing by Keaton Steele in the second game. Steele pitched 7 1/3 innings and was charged with two runs.

Cedar Rapids mustered only 11 hits in 21 innings.

The Kernels have lost seven of their last eight games. They host Lansing Saturday at 6:35 p.m.

GAME 1

GREAT LAKES (4): Verdugo, cf, 4 1 1 0, Allen, 3b, 5 0 0 0, Ahmed, ss, 6 1 1 0, Cordero, 1b, 6 1 2 1, Santana, rf, 6 1 2 3, Leon, c, 3 0 0 0, Scavuzzo, lf, 5 0 0 0, Vela, dh, 5 0 1 0, Oguisten, 2b, 5 0 0 0. Totals 45 4 7 4.

KERNELS (3): Corcino, rf, 4 0 0 1, Gordon, ss, 5 0 0 0, Doe, dh, 4 0 2 0, Fernandez, 1b, 6 0 1 0, Real, c, 3 1 1 0, Valera, pr, 0 0 0 0, Navarreto, c, 2 0 1 0, White, 3b, 4 1 0 0, Murphy, lf, 6 1 1 2, Kelly, 2b, 5 0 1 0, English, cf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 42 3 7 3.

Great Lakes    003 000 000 000 1 - 4 7 0 
Kernels        030 000 000 000 0 - 3 7 2

Holmes, Fernandez (2), Rossman (6), Reid-Foley (9), Molina (12) and Leon. Rodriguez, Bard (5), LeBlanc (8), Velez (12) and Real, Navarreto (10). W - Molina. L - Velez (0-1). 3B - Murphy (6). HR - Santana. SB - English (19), Doe (1). E - Fernandez (6), Murphy (5). T - 3:56.

GAME 2

GREAT LAKES (3): Verdugo, cf, 4 1 2 1, Oguisten, ss, 3 0 0 0, Ahmed, 3b, 3 0 1 1, Vela, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Santana, rf, 3 0 0 0, Scavuzzo, dh, 3 0 0 0, Navin, c, 3 1 1 0, Celli, lf, 2 0 0 0, Ramos, 2b, 2 1 0 0. Totals 27 3 5 2.

KERNELS (1): Corcino, rf/cf, 3 0 0 0, Valera, ss, 4 0 1 0, Doe, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Real, dh, 3 0 0 0, Larson, lf, 4 1 1 0, White, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Kelly, 2b, 3 0 1 1, Navarreto, c, 2 0 1 0, English, cf, 2 0 0 0, Murphy, ph/rf, 1 0 0 0. Totals 29 1 4 1.

Great Lakes   000 100 02 - 3 5 1
Kernels       010 000 00 - 1 4 1

Sylvester, Hooper (6) and Navin. Steele, Hildenberger (8) and Navarreto. W - Hooper (2-0). L - Steele (2-2). 2B - Verdugo (9), Navin (2), Valera (1). SB - Larson (6), Corcino (3). E - Oguisten (12), White (11). T - 2:08. A - 3,439.