GENEVA, Ill. - Sam Gibbons painted a masterpiece on the mound for the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night.

Gibbons tossed a four-hit shutout with nine strikeouts as the Kernels blanked Kane County, 7-0, in a Midwest League game before 9,181 fans at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, Ill.

Gibbons pitched all nine innings and threw 110 pitches, including 76 for strikes. He walked only one batter and did not allow any extra-base hits.

Gibbons, 21, from Australia, has tossed 20 consecutive scoreless innings in his last three starts for Cedar Rapids. He raised his record to 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA.

The Kernels scored two runs in the third inning, three runs in the fifth and two more runs in the ninth. Alex Real went 2-for-4 for Cedar Rapids with two doubles and two RBIs. Rafael Valera was 2-for-4 and scored twice. Nick Gordon also scored twice.

The Kernels (62-44) and Kane County (63-41) conclude their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Kernels return home Tuesday night to host Dayton at 6:35.

KERNELS (7): English, cf, 4 0 1 1, Gordon, ss, 4 2 1 0, Corcino, rf, 5 0 0 0, Larson, lf, 2 1 0 0, Doe, 3b, 4 1 1 2, Kuresa, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Real, dh, 4 0 2 2, Navarreto, c, 3 1 0 0, Valera, 2b, 4 2 2 0. Totals 34 7 7 5.

KANE COUNTY (0): Taylor, rf, 4 0 0 0, Vargas, ss, 4 0 2 0, Regis, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Herum, dh, 4 0 0 0, Bray, cf, 4 0 0 0, Perez, c, 4 0 0 0, Gebhardt, 2b, 3 0 1 0, Munoz, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Reyes, lf, 2 0 0 0. Totals 31 0 4 0.

Kernels      002 030 002 - 7 7 3
Kane County  000 000 000 - 0 4 2

Gibbons and Navarreto. Oliver, Smith (6), Martinez (9), Geyer (9) and Perez. W - Gibbons (5-2). L - Oliver (2-2). 2B - Real 2 (7), English (16). E - Kuresa (10), Gibbons (1), Valera (9), Munoz 2 (18). T - 2:54. A - 9,181.