Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Kernels trimmed by Dayton, 3-2

DAYTON, Ohio - The Cedar Rapids Kernels are coming home in the thick of a pennant race in the Midwest League, but they lost an opportunity to gain ground Monday night.

The Kernels were trimmed by Dayton, 3-2, before 8,118 fans at Fifth Third Field in the final game of their road trip.

Cedar Rapids could have pulled within one game of Kane County for first place in the second-half standings in the Western Division with a victory. Instead, the Kernels find themselves two games behind Kane County with 34 games left in the regular season.

Kane County leads the Western Division with a 22-14 record. Cedar Rapids, Peoria and Quad Cities are tied for second place at 20-16. Burlington is sitting at 19-16 and Wisconsin is 19-17 in the compact standings.

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Chih-Wei Hu named Pitcher of Week

The Midwest League announced Monday that Kernels pitcher Chih-Wei Hu has been named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the period July 21-27.

In two starts, Hu allowed no earned runs (one unearned run) over 12 innings, walked three and struck out 16 while picking up the win in both starts.

The Twins signed Hu as a non-drafted free agent in 2012. The Taichung, Taiwan native pitched for the GCL Twins last season. He is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts for the Kernels and has struck out 25 batters in 24 innings, walking only five.

Hu is the first Kernel this season to receive Player or Pitcher of the Week honors. His next scheduled start is Thursday at Perfect Game Field against the Burlington Bees.

Kernels promote Kanzler, add Max Murphy

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Monday that outfielder Jason Kanzler has been promoted to Fort Myers in the Florida State League and outfielder Max Murphy has joined the Kernels from Elizabethton in the Appalachian League.

The Twins selected Murphy in the ninth round of the 2014 draft from Bradley University. He played in 34 games at Elizabethton, batting .371 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs and was named the Appalachian League Player of the Week July 14.

Kanzler played in 84 games for the Kernels, batting .284 with nine homers and 48 RBIs. He stole 15 bases in 22 attempts.

Gonsalves makes strong debut for Kernels

DAYTON, Ohio - Stephen Gonsalves tossed six innings of shutout ball Sunday afternoon to help the Cedar Rapids Kernels trip Dayton, 4-1, before 8,139 fans in a Midwest League game at Fifth Third Field in Dayton.

Gonsalves struck out six batters in six innings. He allowed three hits and walked only one batter.

Gonsalves, 20, joined the Kernels last week from Elizabethton in the Appalachian League. The Minnesota Twins picked him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft from Cathedral High School in San Diego and gave him a $700,000 signing bonus.

Brandon Bixler allowed one run in two innings for the Kernels. Dallas Gallant pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts for the save.

J.D. Williams and Logan Wade hit solo home runs in the sixth inning to snap a scoreless game and give Cedar Rapids a 2-0 lead. The Kernels scored two more runs in the seventh inning for a 4-0 advantage.

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Haar, Quesada power Kernels to victory

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Bryan Haar and Michael Quesada belted home runs Friday night as the Cedar Rapids Kernels trimmed Bowling Green, 5-4, in a Midwest League game before 3,896 fans at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Haar socked a three-run homer in the third inning, his 13th round-tripper of the year. Quesada hit a solo shot in the fourth inning.

Ryan Eades (6-11) allowed three runs in five innings for the victory. Jared Wilson, Brandon Bixler and Dallas Gallant pitched for the Kernels in relief. Gallant got his second save.

Chad Christensen went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Quesada was 2-for-4 with a double and his fourth homer.

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Kernels put Stewart on 7-day DL

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Friday that pitcher Kohl Stewart has been placed on the 7-day disabled list and that pitcher Josue Montanez has joined the Kernels from Elizabethton.

The Kernels also confirmed that pitcher Stephen Gonsalves has joined the club from Elizabethton.

Stewart goes on the DL with a right shoulder impingement. The Twins' first-round pick in the 2013 draft has made 17 starts for the Kernels, posting a 3-5 record and 2.42 ERA.

In 81.2 innings, he has allowed 69 hits and 33 runs (22 earned) with 23 walks and 53 strikeouts.

Gonsalves and Montanez are available for Friday night's game at Bowling Green.

Gonsalves, 20, was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft from Cathedral High School in San Diego. He had a 2-0 record and 2.79 ERA in six starts for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League this season. He struck out 26 batters in 29 innings, with 10 walks.

Kernels fall at Bowling Green, 2-1

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels threatened in the top of the ninth inning Thursday night but fell short in a 2-1 loss to Bowling Green before 2,576 fans at Bowling Green Stadium.

The Kernels had runners on first and second with one out in the ninth. Logan Wade lined a shot toward the outfield, but the Bowling Green shortstop made a leaping stab and tossed to the second baseman to get J.D. Williams for a double play to end the game.

Cedar Rapids (48-54) scored in the sixth inning on doubles by Chad Christensen and Alex Swim. Swim was 2-for-4.

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Twins recall Polanco from Fort Myers

The Minnesota Twins promoted infielder Jorge Polanco from the Fort Myers Miracle in the Class A Florida State League to the Major Leagues Thursday for the second time this season.

Polanco appeared in four games for the Twins in late June after being promoted from Fort Myers due to injuries in Minnesota. He impressed the parent club by going 2-for-5 with a double, triple, three RBIs, two walks and two runs scored.

Polanco was returned to Fort Myers after that stint, but the Twins traded Kendrys Morales to the Seattle Mariners Thursday and decided to give Polanco another shot in the big leagues.

Polanco, 21, hit .308 with five home runs and 78 RBIs for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in the Midwest League last season. He was hitting .291 with six homers and 45 RBIs for Fort Myers.

Polanco is the first ex-Kernel to reach the Major Leagues since the Twins and Kernels began their working relationship in 2013.

It is highly unusual for a player to be promoted from Class A to the Major Leagues, but now Polanco has done it twice.

Kernels belt 3 homers in 7-2 win

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels hit three home runs and struck out 15 Bowling Green batters Wednesday night in a 7-2 victory over the Hot Rods.

The Kernels (48-53) collected 14 hits and have won 10 of their last 12 games.

Tanner Vavra, Logan Wade and Mitch Garver all went deep for the Kernels. It was Vavra's first professional home run and one of his three hits Wednesday.

Garver hit his team-best 13th for the season. It was his fourth home run in the last two games after belting three round-trippers Monday.

Three Kernels hurlers combined to punch out 15 hitters, the second-highest strikeout total this season. Aaron Slegers (7-6) started and picked up the win, going six innings. He struck out seven while allowing five hits, one walk and two runs (one earned).

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