Cedar Rapids Kernels

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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