Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Hildenberger promoted to Fort Myers

Cedar Rapids Kernels relief pitcher Trevor Hildenberger has been promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in the Florida State League, Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said Wednesday afternoon.

Hildenberger, 24, starred for the Kernels in their bullpen with a 2-1 record, 0.80 ERA and 14 saves. He struck out 59 batters and walked only five in 45 innings.

Fort Myers depleted its bullpen in a 2-1 victory in 16 innings Tuesday night and needed another pitcher. Mauer was notified after midnight Tuesday and called Hildenberger, who caught a 7 a.m. flight out of Cedar Rapids on Wednesday morning to join his new club.

Mauer does not know if Hildenberger will stay with Fort Myers, but said the 6-foot-2 right-hander deserved the promotion. Hildenberger led the Kernels in saves.

The Minnesota Twins selected Hildenberger in the 22nd round of the 2014 draft from Cal-Berkeley.

Jorge is quality hurler for Kernels

There are no sure things in baseball, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels getting a quality start from Felix Jorge comes pretty close.

The 21-year-old Dominican held the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to two runs in seven innings Tuesday night, leading the Kernels to a 6-2 victory before 2,236 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Jorge has pitched at least six innings while holding opponents to three runs or less (the definition of a quality start) in each of his last 14 starts and 15 out of 16 times this season.

Asked if he knew how many consecutive quality starts he has, the young righthander knew exactly the right answer. “Fourteen,” he replied with a slight smile.

“He’s pretty smart,” Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said. “He looked a lot different than he did April a year ago, didn’t he? Very impressive.

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Quad Cities blasts Kernels

DAVENPORT - The Quad Cities River Bandits jumped to an 11-0 lead after five innings and cruised to a 14-5 Midwest League win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Monday before a crowd of 2,456 at Modern Woodman Park.

Kernels' starter Keaton Steele (2-3) lasted just 2 1/3 innings in his return from the disabled list. He allowed five runs on five hits.

Jason Martin had a triple and a double for the River Bandits (60-33). Quad Cities pounded out 17 hits against five Cedar Rapids pitchers. Ryan Bottger had three hits for the River Bandits, including his fifth homer of the season.

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Steele ready to pitch for Kernels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Monday morning that itcher Keaton Steele has been activated from the 7-day disabled list and is scheduled to be the starter in Monday's game against Quad Cities at 1 p.m. in Davenport.

Steele went on the DL June 29 with a right shoulder impingement. He has a 2-2 record and 3.46 ERA.

The Kernels return home Tuesday night to face Wisconsin.

Gordon's streak ends as Kernels fall

DAVENPORT - Sunday turned out to be an empty day for Nick Gordon and the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

The Quad Cities River Bandits topped the Kernels, 5-1, in a Midwest League game before 6,130 fans at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport.

Gordon went 0-for-4 and saw his 17-game hitting streak come to an end. It was the longest streak for a Kernels player this season.

Edgar Corcino went 2-of-3 for the Kernels, raising his batting average to .323.

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Diemer joins Kernels; Murphy to DL

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Sunday that outfielder Austin Diemer has joined the Kernels from Elizabethton and that outfielder Max Murphy has been placed on the 7-day disabled list with a left oblique strain.

The Twins selected Diemer in the 28th round of the 2014 draft from Cal State Fullerton. He spent last season at Elizabethton where he hit .227 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 55 games. This season for Elizabethton, he was batting .254 with three homers and eight RBIs in 20 games.

Murphy has played in 77 games for the Kernels this season, batting .227 with four homers and 30 RBIs. He was selected by the Twins in the ninth round of the 2014 draft from Bradley University.

English lifts Kernels by Quad Cities

DAVENPORT - Tanner English delivered a clutch two-run single in the top of the ninth inning Saturday night to help the Cedar Rapids Kernels trim Quad Cities, 3-2, in a Midwest League game before 5,634 fans at Modern Woodmen Park.

English drove in Tyler Kuresa and Brian Navarreto with his base hit with one out, erasing a 2-1 deficit.

Trevor Hildenberger collected his 14th save in the bottom of the ninth, getting the final out on a long fly ball to left field with a runner on first base.

Kernels shortstop Nick Gordon extended his hitting streak to 17 straight games with an RBI triple in the third inning. Navaretto and Edgar Corcino had two hits for Cedar Rapids.

Kernels starter Sam Gibbons pitched five shutout innings, allowing five hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Michael Theofanopoulos (3-2) got the victory by pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth.

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Defense not enough for Kernels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels showed outstanding defense against the visiting Burlington Bees on Friday night, but the offense wasn't nearly as good.

Burlington has just enough offense of its own to down the Kernels, 3-1, before a crowd of 4,189 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Center fielder Tanner English started the game by flagging down a deep line drive near the left-center field wall off the bat of Tim Arakawa.

In the ninth inning, catcher Brian Navarreto fielded an attempted suicide squeeze bunt by Burlington shortstop (and former Iowa Hawkeye) Jake Yacinich in front of the plate, tagged Arakawa trying to score and then threw out Yacinich at first base to complete the double play.

Sandwiched between those efforts, Pat Kelly racked nine assists in just his second game this season at third base for Cedar Rapids. Kelly also contributed a pair of hits to the Kernels’ attack.

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Gordon riding 15-game streak for Kernels

Nick Gordon does not have a cool nickname like his father, Tom "Flash" Gordon, but somebody might have to think of something if he keeps playing like this for the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Gordon hit safely in his 15th straight game Thursday night as the Kernels lost to the Burlington Bees, 5-4, before 2,618 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Gordon's batting average dropped to .222 on May 25, but he's raised the mark to .267 and ranks among the Midwest League leaders in runs scored, stolen bases and hits.

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