Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

4 Kernels promoted to Fort Myers

Four members of the Cedar Rapids Kernels have been promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in the Florida State League, Kernels General Manager Doug Nelson confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

First baseman Dalton Hicks, outfielder J.D. Williams, relief pitcher Tyler Jones and relief pitcher Steve Gruver were notified of their promotions Monday night and left Tuesday moring.

Catcher Jairo Rodriguez, pitcher Dallas Gallant and pitcher Tim Shibuya will be joining the Kernels. They are flying into Cleveland and plan to be in uniform when the Kernels play at Lake County (Ohio) Wednesday night.

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Walker wins 3rd MWL honor

For the third time in the 2013 season, Adam Brett Walker has been named the Midwest League Player of the Week, this time for the period July 8-14. The Midwest League and MLB Baseball Advanced Media determine the award.

During that period, Walker hit .400 (8-for-20) with three home runs, nine RBIs, scored eight runs, drew four walks and had two doubles. He was named the MWL Player of the Week on April 29 and May 13. The Twins selected Walker in the third round of the 2012 First Year Player draft out of Jacksonville University and he spent last season with the Elizabethton Twins.

Wandy Peralta of the Dayton Dragons was named the MWL Pitcher of the Week for the same period.

The Kernels have an off-day Tuesday. They begin a six-game Eastern Division road trip with games at Lake County and Fort Wayne on Wednesday. They return to Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium on July 24 to open a six-game homestand with games against Peoria and Clinton.

Walker clouts 2 homers, but Kernels lose

Cedar Rapids Kernels slugger Adam Brett Walker planned to relax Monday night and watch the Major League Home Run Derby on ESPN.

"That's always fun, especially to see how far they go," he said. "That's always nice."

That could be him in the Home Run Derby some day if he keeps this up much longer.

Walker belted two more impressive homers Monday afternoon, including a towering drive that traveled at least 450 feet, but they weren't enough to prevent the Kernels from dropping a 6-5 decision to the Bowling Green Hot Rods before 3,136 fans on a steamy day at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

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Murphy roots for brother in big leagues

Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Jonathan Murphy has a special application on his cell phone that lets him watch his favorite player on the New York Mets play ball.

The Kernels are part of the Minnesota Twins organization, but Murphy can be forgiven for watching another club. His favorite player is New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, his older brother and role model.

Daniel Murphy made his Major League debut with the Mets in 2008 when he was only 23 years old.

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Inside-the-park HR highlights Kernels win

You don’t see many inside-the-park home runs. You see even fewer of them legged out by catchers.

But that’s what the 4,399 fans who attended the Cedar Rapids Kernels game saw Saturday evening when Kernels catcher Tyler Grimes hit a line drive off the high diagonal wall in left field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Grimes sprinted around the bases as the ball caromed toward center field and his head-first slide at the plate was ahead of the wide throw home.

It was just one of many highlights for the home team in the Kernels 6-3 win over the visiting Bowling Green Hot Rods.

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Lee gives Kernels big lift on mound

Brett Lee put all of the Cedar Rapids Kernels in a good mood Friday night.

Lee tossed the first complete game for Cedar Rapids all season as the Kernels tamed the Dayton Dragons, 7-1, before 3,234 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Lee needed only 92 pitches in the nine-inning ballgame and gave the weary Kernels bullpen a much-needed rest after Dayton had scored 25 runs in the first two games of the series.

Adam Brett Walker belted a three-run homer and drove in four runs and the Cedar Rapids infielders turned two snappy double plays to keep things moving along.

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Dayton pitcher escapes serious injury in victory

Dayton relief pitcher Tony Amezcua paid a scary price for his victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

A screaming line drive by Kernels slugger Dalton Hicks struck Amezcua in the nose and the right side of his face in the sixth inning of Dayton's 13-9 victory, knocking Amezcua to the ground as teammates and the Dayton trainer rushed to his side.

Fortunately for Amezcua, it was a glancing blow and did not him squarely. But the ball was hit so hard that it ended up in center field as Hicks got a single.

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Fire-breathing Dragons burn Kernels, 12-6

It took the visiting Dayton Dragons all of four batters Wednesday night to jump out to a 4-0 lead over the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

The first three Dragon hitters singled against Kernels starting pitcher Christian Powell and the fourth hitter, Jesse Winker, cleared the bases with a grand slam before Powell and the Kernels could record an out.

The Dragons didn’t stop there, either, as they went on to defeat the Kernels, 12-6, in front of a disappointed crowd of 2,009 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Powell left the game after completing just three innings, having given up six runs (all earned) on nine hits. He also walked three Dayton hitters.

“Just a very ugly day, all the way around,” is how Kernels Manager Jake Mauer described his team’s pitching performance.

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Gruver is big relief for Kernels

It's the top of the seventh inning and his team is leading by two runs. There are two outs, but the bases are loaded with opposing baserunners.

It's the kind of situation the best relief pitchers almost seem to relish as they trot in from the bullpen.

Lefty Steve Gruver and right-hander Tyler Jones have been among the most reliable bullpen arms in the Midwest League this season and have presented a formidable lefty-righty combination in the Kernels bullpen.

Gruver was one of eight Kernels named to the Midwest League All-Star Game in June, and last Friday night it was Gruver who entered the game with two outs and the bases loaded, determined to protect a two-run Kernels lead.

Gruver would like to forget the moments that followed, as Tyrone Taylor launched a grand slam on a pitch that found its way too close to the middle of the plate and put the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers ahead, 8-6.

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