Cedar Rapids Kernels

Gibbons tosses shutout for Kernels

GENEVA, Ill. - Sam Gibbons painted a masterpiece on the mound for the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night.

Gibbons tossed a four-hit shutout with nine strikeouts as the Kernels blanked Kane County, 7-0, in a Midwest League game before 9,181 fans at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, Ill.

Gibbons pitched all nine innings and threw 110 pitches, including 76 for strikes. He walked only one batter and did not allow any extra-base hits.

Gibbons, 21, from Australia, has tossed 20 consecutive scoreless innings in his last three starts for Cedar Rapids. He raised his record to 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA.

Read more...

Kernels fan 13 times in loss

GENEVA, Ill. – Josh Taylor pitched a complete game with no walks and 13 strikeouts as the Kane County Cougars topped the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-1 in front of 8,244 fans Friday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

The Kernels managed nine hits, but Taylor (2-1) minimized the damage and lowered his ERA to 1.67.

Nick Gordon singled in the first inning for Cedar Rapids, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single by Edgar Corcino and scored on a single by Zack Larson to give the Kernels a 1-0 lead early. But it was all Cougars for the rest of the night.

Elvin Soto hit a solo home run for Kane County (63-40), and Colin Bray, Ryan Gebhardt and Quinnton Mack each had two hits.

Tanner English doubled for Cedar Rapids (61-44), and Corcino and Brett Doe each hit 2-for-4.

Randy Rosario (1-2) pitched six innings for the loss with nine hits, four earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts.

The series continues at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

Read more...

Kernels take series from Clinton

CLINTON - The Cedar Rapids Kernels claimed their third straight series with a 9-5 win over the Clinton LumberKings on Thursday night before 2,086 fans at Ashford University Field.

Every Kernels hitter except one recorded at least one hit in the series finale.

Ethan Mildren (4-1) earned the win in relief. Mildren allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two in 2 2/3 innings.

Jared Wilson recorded the save. The right-hander yielded one hit and two walks while striking out a pair in 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Zack Tillery finished with a no-decision in his start for Cedar Rapids. The right-hander did not allow a hit through the first three innings and allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five over 3 2/3 innings.

Tyler Herb (4-8) suffered the loss for Clinton. The right-hander allowed six runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out a pair in six innings.

Cedar Rapids (61-43) struck first with a two-out run in the top of the first. Nick Gordon recorded the first hit of the evening with a two-out double down the left field line.

Zack Larson followed Gordon with an RBI single down the right field line, plating Gordon from second. The RBI for Larson was his team-leading 47th of the year.

Read more...

LumberKings blast Kernels, 11-4

CLINTON - After a string of quality starts, Cedar Rapids' Felix Jorge couldn't find his best stuff on Wednesday night.

The Kernels ace was roughed up for seven runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work as Clinton rolled to an 11-4 win at Ashford University Field.

Austin Cousino was the hitting star for the LumberKings, rapping out a double and a triple. Brock Hebert made his Clinton debut with a pair of doubles. Gianfranco Wawoe had three hits and three RBIs.

The Kernels (60-43) kept it close early, trailing just 5-3 after three innings. Catcher Brian Navarreto had a two-run single in the second and Zach Larson drove home a run with a third-inning double.

Jorge (5-4) did strike out seven and walked two.

Read more...