Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Stewart shines for surging Kernels

Cedar Rapids pitcher Kohl Stewart says he learned a valuable lesson when an umpire kicked him out of a Midwest League game here July 5th for mouthing off.

"As hard as it is to say, I think that needed to happen," Stewart said Thursday night. "I deserved to get thrown out.

"He threw me out and I had to sit there and own it and man up to it. It won't happen again, that's for sure."

Stewart has won two straight games for the surging Kernels since he lasted only 2.2 innings against Beloit July 5 before getting the heave-ho for making an unacceptable remark to the home-plate umpire.

He tossed five shutout innings Thursday as Cedar Rapids trimmed Lake County, 4-3, before 2,413 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium to reach the .500 mark for the second half of the season.

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Swim helps Kernels with hot bat

Alex Swim declined an offer to join the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 2012 after they selected him in the 36th round of the draft, but it had little to do with money or his desire to stay at Elon University and get his degree.

Swim's mother, Mary, has been afflicted with multiple sclerosis since the late 1980's and was hospitalized around the time of the 2012 draft, so he decided to stay home in North Carolina to be with her and help as much as he could.

"I wouldn't change it for the world," Swim said Wednesday night. "I stayed and helped out around the house. It was the best decision for me.

"She's fine now," he said. "She's doing well."

Swim, 23, got another chance to turn pro when the Minnesota Twins picked him in the 23rd round of the 2013 draft following his senior campaign at Elon, which made the NCAA tournament last year.

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Kernels cut Altobelli, activate Vielma

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday that infielder Engelb Vielma has been activated from the 7-day disabled list and that catcher Bo Altobelli has been released from the roster.

Vielma went on the DL with a concussion suffered in a collision with outfielder J.D. Williams during the Kernels' game with Beloit July 7. In 70 games for the Kernels, he is batting .253 with 11 doubles, three triples and 21 RBIs.

In 44 games for the Kernels, Altobelli hit .224 with eight doubles, a home run and five RBIs. He split time at first base and catcher.

Clinton stops Kernels' win streak

CLINTON - The Cedar Rapids Kernels got off to a good start Monday night when they scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but it went downhill from there.

The Kernels saw their five-game winning streak come to an end as Clinton rallied for an 8-5 victory before 1,124 fans at Ashford University Field.

Ryan Eades (5-10) had a rough outing for Cedar Rapids. He was touched for seven hits and seven runs (four earned) in four innings and took the loss as his ERA rose to 6.67.

Mitch Garver hit a two-run homer for the Kernels in the first inning for his ninth round-tripper of the season. Jason Kanzler went 2-for-4 for Cedar Rapids. Logan Wade drove in two runs.

The Kernels (42-52) will host Lake County Wednesday night at 6:35.

KERNELS (5): Walker, ss, 5 1 1 0, Wade, 3b, 4 0 1 2, Christensen, 1b, 3 1 0 1, Garver, dh, 4 1 1 2, Swim, rf, 4 0 1 0, Kanzler, cf, 4 0 2 0, Williams, lf, 3 1 0 0, Quesada, c, 3 1 0 0, Vavra, 2b, 4 0 1 0. Totals 34 5 7 5.

CLINTON (8): Barbosa, cf, 4 2 2 1, Kauppila, 2b, 4 0 3 1, Mack, lf, 3 0 0 1, Seager, dh, 3 1 0 0, Carmichael, c, 4 1 1 1, Thomas, rf, 3 1 1 1, Peguero, ss, 4 2 1 0, Zimmerman, 1b, 4 1 2 1, Caballero, 3b, 2 0 0 2. Totals 31 8 10 8.

Eades, Mazza (5), Burdi (7), Gallant (8) and Quesada. Misell, Brooks (6), Pineda (7), Pagan (9) and Carmichael. W - Misell (8-8). L - Eades (5-10). S - Pagan (10). 2B - Kanzler (7), Walker (5), Carmichael (6), Kauppila (9). 3B - Barbosa (2). HR - Garver (9), Zimmerman (4). SB - Christensen (22). E - Walker (7), Wade (8). T - 3:01. A - 1,124.

Kernels claim 5th straight win

CLINTON - The Cedar Rapids Kernels exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning Sunday and defeated Clinton, 7-5, in a rain-shortened game before 957 fans at Ashford University Field.

The tarp was put on the field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and the game was called after a 41-minute rain delay.

The Kernels (42-51) have won five games in a row, including Saturday night's rain-shortened 5-1 victory over the LumberKings.

Clinton scored the first three runs Sunday, but the Kernels scored seven runs in the top half of the sixth as they sent 11 men to the plate to move ahead 7-3.

The Kernels collected five singles and took advantage of one error. It matched the largest run-scoring inning for Cedar Rapids this season.

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Kernels take pair from Clinton

CLINTON - The Cedar Rapids Kernels had a successful round trip to Clinton Friday.

The Kernels topped Clinton, 5-4, in 11 innings in the conclusion of a suspended game from June 30, then whipped the Lumber Kings 6-1 in their regularly scheduled contest.

The victories lifted Cedar Rapids to 40-51 for the campaign.

The Kernels and LumberKings were tied, 3-3, after nine innings when they met in Cedar Rapids June 30 in a game suspended by rain. Clinton does not visit Cedar Rapids again this season, so they finished the contest at Clinton Friday with the Kernels serving as the home team.

Clinton took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 11th inning, but Cedar Rapids responded with two runs in the bottom of the 11th for the 5-4 victory on a two-run single by Chad Christensen.

Logan Wade, Alex Swim, Jason Kanzler and J.D. Murphy had two hits for the Kernels in the regularly scheduled game. Kanzler and Murphy had two RBIs.

Kohl Stewart (2-5, 2.58 ERA) pitched six strong innings for Cedar Rapids for his first victory on the mound since April. He allowed six hits and one earned run, with five strikeouts and no walks.

Cedar Rapids and Clinton meet again Saturday night at 6:30.

Game 1
(Completed from June 30)

CLINTON (4): Shank, 3b, 4 2 2 1, Caballero, ph/3b, 1 0 0 0, Barbosa, cf, 4 1 1 0, Littlewood, c, 4 0 0 0, Mack, rf, 4 1 3 2, Reinheimer, ss, 5 0 1 0, Seager, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Zimmerman, dh, 5 0 1 1, Yates, lf, 4 0 0 0, Peguero, 2b, 5 0 1 0. Totals 40 4 9 4.

KERNELS (5): Granite, lf, 4 1 2 0, Altobelli, 1b, 0 1 0 0, Vielma, ss, 3 0 1 1, Walker, ss, 1 0 0 0, Christensen, 1b/lf, 6 0 3 3, Haar, 3b, 5 0 1 0, Kanzler, cf, 5 0 1 0, Williams, dh, 4 1 1 0, Swim, c, 4 0 2 1, Vavra, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Wade, 2b, 1 0 0 0, Murphy, rf, 4 2 2 0. Totals 41 5 13 5.

Clinton     101 000 010 01 - 4 9 1
Kernels     100 000 011 02 - 5 13 0

Flores, Pineda (7), Pagan (9), Valenza (11) and Littlewood. Stewart, Muren (5), Boyd (7), Van Steensel (9), Reed (10) and Swim. W - Reed (1-0). L - Valenza (0-2). 2B - Shank (17), Mack (6), Haar (14). 3B - Mack (2), Granite (1). HR - Shank (6). SB - Barbosa (8), Reinheimer (25), Kanzler (13), Christensen (19), Vavra (5). T - 3:14 (:38 delay). A - 3,180.

Game 2

KERNELS (6): Walker, ss, 5 0 0 0, Wade, 2b, 5 1 2 0, Christensen, 1b, 4 1 1 0, Garver, c, 5 1 1 1, Haar, 3b, 3 1 1 0, Swim, rf, 5 1 2 0, Kanzler, cf, 4 1 2 2, Williams, dh, 1 0 0 0, Murphy, lf, 3 0 2 2. Totals 35 6 11 5.

CLINTON (1): Barbosa, cf, 4 0 1 0, Caballero, ss, 3 0 0 1, Mack, lf, 4 0 1 0, Seager, dh, 4 0 0 0, Yates, rf, 3 0 1 0, Peguero, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Carmichael, c, 2 0 0 0, Zimmerman, 1b, 3 1 1 0, Kauppila, 2b, 3 0 3 0. Totals 30 1 7 1.

Kernels    000 100 140 - 6 11 0
Clinton    001 000 000 - 1 7 0

Stewart, Wilson (7), Burdi (9) and Garver. Kim, Pineda (5), Brooks (7), Pagan (9) and Carmichael. W - Stewart (2-5). L - Pineda (3-4). 2B - Wade (9), Kauppila (8). 3B - Christensen (5), Kanzler (7). SB - Barbosa (13). T - 2:47. A - 1,895.

Mauer not happy as Kernels fall, 5-2

Cedar Rapids Kernels starting pitcher Ryan Eades struck out nine hitters in his five innings on the mound Wednesday night and the bullpen added four more whiffs.

Normally, that should be enough pitching to get a win, but a lack of timely hitting and some faulty defense by the home team allowed the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to top the Kernels, 5-2, in front of 1,597 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Kernels Manager Jake Mauer was succinct in his post-game analysis.

“We didn’t catch the ball,” Mauer said. “We don’t catch the ball, we’re not gonna win.

“The third baseman kicks two. Ball dribbles past our first baseman, doesn’t even move for it. Center fielder dives for a ball he’s got no chance at. Very disappointing.”

It has been a familiar pattern for the Kernels through much of the season.

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Wade ready to play for Kernels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday that infielder Logan Wade has been activated from the 7-day disabled list.

Wade went on the DL May 8 with a dislocated left shoulder. In 29 games for the Kernels, he is batting .288 with a home run, 12 RBIs, eight doubles and two triples.

Williams leads hit parade for Kernels

J.D. Williams is a happy guy who always has a smile for everyone, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder was extra happy Tuesday.

Williams broke out of a slump and went 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs as the Kernels belted the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 15-5, before 2,424 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Cedar Rapids collected a season-high 19 hits and scored its second-most runs this year, trailing only a 16-run output at Beloit May 27.

Kernels relief pitcher Nick Burdi entertained the fans in the seventh inning with a 101 mph fastball and three strikeouts, a much-needed boost of confidence after walking four straight batters in his debut here last week.

Burdi hit 100 and 101 on the radar gun and had a dozen other pitchers that were clocked in the high 90's, a rare feat for a pitcher.

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