Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Alex Real says he made an innocent mistake when he used a banned substance last year and was suspended for 50 games at the start of the 2015 season.

The substance - methylhexaneamine - was originally developed as a nasal decongestant, but it's also believed to increase focus and energy and has been been banned for all minor leaguers, partially because one of the side effects is a stroke.

Real admits the mistake, but says he's not sure how it got in his body.

"I don't know where it came from," he said Sunday after helping the Kernels defeat Lansing, 8-3, at Veterans Memorial Stadium. "It probably came from the fat-burner or the allergy medicine, because I was taking allergy medicine the week prior."

Real (pronounced Ray-al) said he was not looking for a physical edge.

"I was trying to be clean and put in the hard work, especially with the drug testing being so strict," he said. "You really have to be careful and I learned my lesson."

Real was allowed to practice and work out at the Minnesota Twins facility in Fort Myers, Fla., during the 50-game suspension and could play in exhibition games.

"That was really cool," he said. "I thought I'd be sitting and wouldn't be able to do anything, but I could train and lift weights and practice out there."

Real, 22, was selected by the Twins in the 24th round of the 2014 draft from the University of New Mexico. He hit .284 at Elizabethton in the Appalachian League last year and has done a good job since joining the Kernels from Extended Spring Training May 31.

Real is hitting .333 in 10 games after going 3-for-3 with a double and a walk Sunday. He's also done a good job behind the plate when called upon to wear the gear.

Real was not sure if he would be assigned to Elizabethton or Cedar Rapids this season. If he had been assigned to Elizabethton, the 50-game suspension would not have begun until the Rookie Appalachian League season begins this month. Instead, the Twins assigned him to Cedar Rapids and the 50-game suspension began in early April when the Midwest League campaign began.

"That was really cool, because I got to get the suspension done early," he said. "So I was pumped."

The Kernels broke loose for 13 hits in the 8-3 victory over Lansing. Real, Edgar Corcino, Rafael Valera and Tanner English all collected three hits in the ballgame.

English, batting ninth, was 3-for-4 with a triple, a two-run homer, three RBIs and three runs scored. It was his second homer of the season and the performance raised his average to .232.

"I've been struggling a little bit lately and I was just trying to get the barrel on the ball and it happened to work out for me," said English. "Baseball is a grind. I'm always in there (in the batting cage), trying to get better every day.

"It's just little adjustments and today I came out feeling good."

Sam Gibbons (1-1) pitched seven strong innings for the Kernels and posted his first victory of the season. The Australian allowed only four hits and two runs.

The Kernels snapped a 2-2 tie by scoring three runs in the seventh inning.

They added three more runs in the eighth to make it comfortable.

The Kernels (38-25) and Lansing (36-27) meet again Monday at 12:05 p.m.

LANSING (3): Alford, cf, 4 0 0 0, Leblebijian, ss, 4 0 0 0, Tellez, dh, 4 1 1 1, McBroom, 1b, 4 2 3 1, Davis, rf, 4 0 0 0, Reeves, c, 3 0 0 0, Heidt, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Carlson, lf, 3 0 1 1, Locastro, 2b, 2 0 0 0. Totals 32 3 5 3.

KERNELS (8): Corcino, rf, 4 2 3 1, Kelly, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Larson, lf, 4 0 1 2, Doe, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Real, c, 3 0 3 0, White, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Fernandez, dh, 4 0 0 0, Valera, ss, 3 3 3 0, English, cf, 4 3 3 3. Totals 33 8 13 6.

Lansing     010 001 010 - 3 5 2
Kernels     002 000 33x - 8 13 0

Dawson, Case (7), Turner (8) and Reeves. Gibbons, Theofanopoulos (8), Hildenberger (9) and Real. W - Gibbons (1-1). L - Dawson (8-4). 2B - Carlson (12), McBroom (19), Real (3). 3B - English (6). HR - Tellez (7), McBroom (3). E- Dawson (4), Locastro (7). T - 2:22. A - 1,764.