Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Kanzler proves them wrong with Kernels

Go ahead and underestimate Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Jason Kanzler. He’s used to it. Having to show people they’re wrong about him is nothing new.

”I think I’ve done that my whole life, pretty much,” Kanzler said. “I was never really at the top on anyone’s priority list. I wasn’t recruited out of high school. I tried to walk on at Northeastern University and I was cut after two weeks.”

Even after the Minnesota Twins made Kanzler their 20th-round draft pick in 2013, he’s had doubters.

Kanzler wasn’t just one of the final players cut from the Kernels roster in the final days of spring training this past March, ”I was the last guy,” he said.

And he said it without a trace of a smile.

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Kernels activate Granite from DL

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have activated outfielder Zack Granite has been activated from the 7-day disabled list and given outfielder Ivory Thomas his unconditional release.

Brad Steil, Twins Director of Minor League Operations, made the announcement Friday.

Granite went on the DL on April 9th with a left rotator cuff strain. In four games for the Kernels, he is batting .313 (5-16) with an RBI.

Thomas joined the Kernels on April 26th from extended spring training. In 36 games for the Kernels, he hit .163 (13-80) with two HR and eight RBI.

Granite will be active and available for tonight's 6:35 pm game with the Burlington Bees. With today's transactions, the Kernels roster is at the MWL maximum of 25 active players, with six players currently on the DL and one player on the Restricted List.

Kernels bump off River Bandits, 5-2

The Cedar Rapids Kernels were eliminated from any opportunity to earn a postseason berth in the first half of the Midwest League season before this week’s series against Quad Cities began, but the Kernels have been doing their best to spoil the River Bandits' chances as well.

The Kernels took two out of three games in the series with a 5-2 win in front of 2,898 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium Thursday night.

The Cedar Rapids victory dropped the River Bandits two games behind Burlington in the race for second place in the MWL’s Western Division with just three games left in the first half.

Ryan Eades (4-7) had his best start in more than a month and recorded his first win since throwing five shutout innings against Peoria May 4.

Eades, the Minnesota Twins’ second-round draft pick out of LSU a year ago, gave up two runs and spread out nine hits over seven innings. He walked just one and struck out two Bandits.

Eades’ catcher on the night, Mitch Garver, was enthusiastic after the game about his pitcher’s performance.

“He was lights out,” said Garver. “He was throwing everything I wanted him to throw where I wanted him to throw it. He was able to locate three different pitches for strikes. He kept their hitters really off balance. That was awesome, we really needed that.”

Alex Muren earned his first save, walking one hitter and striking out three in two hitless shutout innings of relief.

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Mauer says Christensen ready for promotion

It was a nice human-interest story when Chad Christensen returned home to Cedar Rapids to play for the Kernels this year, but it's turning into much more than that.

Christensen has performed very well for the Kernels and Manager Jake Mauer would not be surprised if he gets promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in the Florida State League soon.

Christensen belted a key two-run triple and drove in three runs Wednesday night as the Kernels clipped the Quad Cities River Bandits, 5-4, in a Midwest League game before 2,581 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Christensen, 23, is hitting .295 with five homers, 34 RBIs and 17 stolen bases for Cedar Rapids and he's excelled in the field at first base, left field, right field and center field.

"He just always seems to be the right guy in the right spot," said Mauer. "When the situation comes up and we need something, he always delivers."

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Twins GM Ryan bouncing back from cancer

During a routine physical exam early this year, Minnesota Twins General Manager Terry Ryan asked his doctor to take a look at a lump on his neck. Testing found Ryan to have squamous cell carcinoma.

Ryan had surgery in February and has undergone radiation treatment as well. In the meantime, Assistant General Manager Rob Antony has filled in as the interim GM for the Twins, though Ryan has been in regular contact with Antony and others in the Twins front office.

During a recent Cedar Rapids Kernels homestand, Ryan was in town observing Minnesota's young Class A prospects and sat down for an interview that covered a range of topics.

Usually a regular presence at spring training and all around the Twins' minor league affiliates, Ryan has understandably not been making those trips this year.

“I’m feeling OK. This is my first trip. I wanted to come here so just in case I couldn’t handle it, I could just get in my vehicle and come back, but I can handle it," he said.

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Fast start sends Bandits past Kernels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels returned home Tuesday night hoping to change their fortunes after dropping five of six games on their road trip to Wisconsin and Kane County.

But once again faulty defense and a lack of timely hitting doomed the locals as they fell 6-2 to the Quad Cities River Bandits in front of 2,602 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The first two batters of the game for the Bandits came around to score, giving the visitors a quick lead that they never relinquished.

The Kernels scored single runs in the first and fourth innings, but left runners in scoring position in both frames.

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Kernels snap 5-game losing streak

The Cedar Rapids Kernels held on to edge the Kane County Cougars, 3-2, Sunday afternoon, snapping a five-game losing streak and improving their record in Sunday games to 8-0.

The win also snapped Kane County's seven-game home winning streak as the Cougars lost for only the seventh time at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in 2014.

Ethan Mildren (2-3) was solid on the hill for the Kernels and has picked up victories in his last two starts. Mildren went six innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked two before 6,922 fans.

The Kernels were able to take advantage of an error to plate a run in the top of the first inning and take an early 1-0 lead. Chad Christensen reached on a two-out throwing error by Cougars shortstop Carlos Penalver before stealing his team-best 16th base to get into scoring position.

Mitch Garver brought Christensen home with an RBI single into left field, his team-high 41st run batted in.

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Eades battered as Kernels fall, 12-8

APPLETON, Wis. - Cedar Rapids Kernels pitcher Ryan Eades had an outing he'd rather forget Friday night.

Eades lasted only two innings and was belted for nine runs as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers defeated the Kernels, 12-8, before 7,009 fans at Fox Cities Stadium.

Eades (3-7) saw his ERA jump to 7.07.

Chad Christensen went 4-for-5 for the Kernels and drove in three runs.

Cedar Rapids opens a series at Kane County Saturday night.

KERNELS (8): Walker, ss, 4 3 2 1, Vielma, 2b, 4 1 1 0, Christensen, rf, 5 0 4 3, Garver, dh, 4 0 0 2, Haar, 3b, 5 0 0 0, Quesada, c, 3 1 0 0, Altobelli, 1b, 4 1 0 0, Thomas, lf, 3 1 0 0, Murphy, cf, 3 1 0 1. Totals 35 8 7 7.

WISCONSIN (12): Davis, cf, 5 1 3 0, Garcia, lf, 4 1 2 2, Ratterree, rf, 4 2 1 0, Coulter, c, 5 2 1 1, Brennan, 3b, 3 1 1 0, Pena, dh, 3 1 0 2, Castillo, 2b, 4 1 2 3, Neda, 1b, 3 2 1 1, Ortega, ss, 4 1 3 2.

Kernels     150 101 000 - 8 7 2
Wisconsin   631 020 00x - 12 14 1

Eades, Wilson (3), Marza (6), Van Steensel (8) and Quesada. Quintana, Razo (2), Archer (5) and Coulter. W - Razo (1-0). L - Eades (3-7). S - Archer (3). 2B - Christensen (10), Vielma (8), Coulter (13). 3B - Ortega (3), Ratterree (3). SB - Quesada (1), Christensen (15), Davis 2 (19), Garcia (25). E - Thomas (2), Wilson (1), Garcia (2). T - 2:52. A - 7,009.

Claire Wenisch wins Adenhart Scholarship

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and the Kernels Foundation have selected Xavier High School senior Claire Wenisch as the winner of the 2014 Nick Adenhart Memorial Scholarship.

She will be honored before the Kernels' game June 15 against Burlington.

Wenish, who just graduated from Xavier, was selected for the scholarship based on her school activities, academic accomplishments and accomplishments in track and swimming. She plans on attending the University of Northern Iowa to major in accounting.

Nick Adenhart was a bright young pitcher who played for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2006 and was a rising star in the Los Angeles Angels organization. Only hours after his 2009 season debut for the Angels, a drunk driver tragically killed him on April 9, 2009 at age 22.

Adenhart's family continues to honor him with the $1,000 annual scholarship in his memory.