The start of today’s Cedar Rapids Kernels game against the Kane County Cougars will be delayed an hour until 1 p.m.

Power at Veterans Memorial Stadium was knocked out by a severe thunderstorm Sunday night and not restored until late Monday morning. Additionally, part of the tarp covering the playing field was blown off by high winds, which necessitated additional work to get it ready for the game.

The Kernels (29-13) have Tuesday off, then hit the road for three games at Beloit. They then return home beginning Saturday night at 6:35 against Burlington.

J.D. Williams

CEDAR RAPIDS — Most guys go to Mexico or the Caribbean to get in their offseason baseball work. J.D. Williams traveled a little farther.

Half-a-world away, 14-hour plane ride farther.

“I probably couldn’t do that again,” said the Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder, who doubled leading off the ninth inning and scored on a Dalton Hicks sacrifice fly to give their team an 8-7 win Sunday afternoon over Kane County at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

It was the third walk-off win in their last four games for the Kernels (29-13).

Williams spent last October through February in Australia as a member of the Sydney Blue Sox, where one of his teammates was Kernels teammate Tim Atherton, a native Aussie. The Minnesota Twins wanted Williams to work with Sydney Manager Jason Pospishil, also a coach in their minor-league system.

“Just get more work in, more at-bats, repetition. You definitely learn from that, no matter what league you’re in,” said Williams, who also homered Sunday. “Getting used to the hours (was the tough thing). Sleeping. They’re just a day ahead of us, about 16 hours ahead or something like that. So when I was practicing or playing, I’d actually be asleep here. It was a lot different trying to get used to that and everything.”

Judging by early results, his long journey was worth it. Williams — a 22-year-old switch-hitter and son of former big leaguer Reggie Williams — has improved at the plate in every facet from a year ago, when he hit .234 and struck out 115 times in 97 games for Beloit of the Midwest League.

He has a nice little walk-strikeout ratio of 25-28 so far and .255 batting average. He’s also one of the fastest baserunners in the Twins organization.

“I think the thing with J.D. is staying down on his swing and just staying positive,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. “He’s a passionate person, he can get really high and really low. He’s got to stay the course. In this game, you can’t have that football mentality.”

Cedar Rapids appeared to have this game wrapped, but ninth-place hitter David Bote lined a game-tying two-run home run to left with two outs in the ninth inning against Kernels reliever Alex Muren. Williams lofted a twisting fly toward the big wall in left to start the C.R. ninth, with Cougars left field Rock Shoulders – playing toward left-center – unable to make the play on what appeared to be a catchable ball.

Byron Buxton sacrifice bunted Williams to third. Two intentional walks followed, and Hicks worked a 3-1 count before lofting his winning fly the other way to left.

Kernels attendance is at its highest to this point in the season as its been since 2005. The club is averaging 1,800 fans through its first 18 dates.

“It’s the Twins and having a winning record,” Kernels General Manager Doug Nelson said. “Having an exciting team.”

Nelson was asked if affiliating with Minnesota has turned out to be the right decision for the Kernels.

“I’d say it’s worked out very well,” he said, with a smile.

Cedar Rapids and Kane County play again Monday afternoon at 12:05.

Here is the game boxscore:

Jose Berrios

CEDAR RAPIDS — So what are you thinking when you watch one of your best young pitching prospects sprint off the mound after a foul pop and dive head first onto the clay warning track near the opponent’s dugout to catch the ball?

You’re talking about $1.55 million flying through the air and landing on its stomach and hands. You could almost hear the internal gasp from Cedar Rapids Kernels pitching coach Gary Lucas.

“What was I thinking? Get up. Please,” Lucas said after watching the above scenario play out in the seventh inning Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Jose Berrios did get up, thankfully.

“I need to get the guy out, so I do it,” Berrios said, after taking a 4-0 loss to Kane County before a season-high crowd of 4,582. “I played shortstop before, so it was no big deal.”

Give Berrios an A-plus-plus for his effort and athleticism on the play, though pitchers aren’t usually advised to dive like that. His lunge came between catcher Jhonatan Arias and third baseman Travis Harrison, one of whom you’d have liked to see make the play.

Coincidence or no, Berrios brushed off the dirt from his jersey, took a couple minutes to catch his breath but ended up allowing two runs after that to break a scoreless tie. It was his first loss with the Kernels, though he deserved a better fate.

This was the first time the Kernels (28-13) have been shutout this Midwest League season.

“No luck,” Berrios said, after searching for the proper English words on his cellphone.

The 18-year-old from Puerto Rico (who signed with the Twins for $1.55 million last year) still pitched a beauty, tying his career high for longest outing (6 2/3 innings), allowing seven hits, no walks and striking out five. He nicked Gioskar Amaya with a pitch, watched Amaya steal second on a bang-bang play and score on Oliver Zapata’s ensuing infield single.

Kernels second baseman Jorge Polanco ranged up the middle to glove Zapata’s grounder but couldn’t get enough on his throw to get him at first. An errant throw from right fielder Adam Brett Walker on Pin-Chieh Chen’s ensuing double against reliever Josue Montanez allowed another, unearned run to score in the inning.

Kane County (20-20) got solo homers from Rock Shoulders and Zapata to close out a pretty frustrating game for the home side. Cedar Rapids had chances early against starting pitcher Pierce Johnson (2-3), a top Cubs prospect, but squandered a first-and-second, no-out situation in the second and a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the fourth.

Kernels hitters struck out 13 times against a trio of Cougars hurlers.

“We didn’t seem to have the quality at-bats (with guys on base) that we did earlier,” Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said. “The last two nights, whether it’s the middle of the year and guys are getting tired, or they’re just not seeing the ball … I don’t make excuses, but the last two nights we just haven’t gotten the job done at the plate.”

The Kernels wore special jerseys that were auctioned postgame to benefit the American Cancer Society. Outfielder Byron Buxton’s jersey went for $600, with the winning bid coming from his father, Felton.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon at 2:05.

Here is the game boxscore:

]]> http://thegazette.com/2013/05/18/nice-catch-jose-dont-ever-do-it-again/feed/ 0 http://thegazette.com/2013/05/17/harrisons-walk-off-hit-really-a-single-this-time/ http://thegazette.com/2013/05/17/harrisons-walk-off-hit-really-a-single-this-time/#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 03:54:35 +0000 Jeff Johnson http://thegazette.com/?p=561165

CEDAR RAPIDS — Travis Harrison rounded first base and turned toward his dugout, expecting to be surrounded by a host of Cedar Rapids Kernels teammates. But everyone ran toward home plate to celebrate with Jorge Polanco instead.

Six of one, half-dozen of the other. You either mob the guy with the game-winning hit or the guy who scored the game-winning run.

It was mostly the runner in this case, with the exception of a couple of players. J.D. Williams actually was the first to reach Harrison and show him some love.

“Yeah, well, he still owes me a grand slam,” Harrison with a smile, after watching his hit on replay in the Kernels clubhouse.

If you remember back about three weeks or so, Harrison hit a walk-off granny that turned into a walk-off single because of the over-exuberance on the basetpaths of some Kernels, including Williams. This time, there was none of that drama, just a hard groundball past third that gave the Kernels a 4-3, 12-inning win over Kane County before 2,151 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“I took the single this time, and that was that,” Harrison said, again with that smile.

“Rolled through, no play anywhere,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. “No worries about this one.”

It took the Kernels (28-12) until June 9th last season to win their 28th game. This 28th victory could have obtained a lot earlier with just one other clutch hit.

Cedar Rapids was 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position, stranding runners at second or third in six of seven innings leading to the 12th. Jorge Polanco walked against losing Kane County reliever Nathan Dorris (1-1) to lead off the inning and was bunted to second by Dalton Hicks.

That’s cleanup hitter Dalton Hicks, who laid down a one-strike beauty up the third-base line.

“He doesn’t know it, but I would have asked him to bunt again with two strikes,” Mauer said. “He’s a candidate to ground into a double play, and I didn’t want that.”

Harrison swung at an 0-1 pitch from Dorris and kept his hot grounder just fair inside third and down the left-field line. He came into the game hitting .321 this season with runners in scoring position.

“Sinker or a changeup, not sure what it was. Something that was about 85 (miles per hour),” Harrison said. “He threw me a slider first pitch. That’s why I swung, because I was waiting for it. I hadn’t looked very good on offspeed pitches earlier in the game. He threw that pitch, and I was able to stay through it just enough.”

Manuel Soliman (3-1) got the win for Cedar Rapids, which hosts Kane County again Saturday night at 5:05. Williams went 3-for-4 with a walk, recording two triples and a double. Polanco also had three hits and a walk.

Here is the game boxscore:

"Class A," by Lucas Mann (Goodreads.com)

Through the Iowa Writers Workshop, Lucas Mann spent a full season with the Clinton LumberKings of the Midwest League and has released a book about it entitled “Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere.”

Here is a New York Times interview with Mann:

CEDAR RAPIDS – His first grand slam, his first walk-off hit, his first postgame shaving cream pie. Yet another step out the door here in Cedar Rapids and toward Fort Myers.

Honestly, there’s probably not much more Byron Buxton can do at the low-Class A level. The 19-year-old phenom sent Veterans Memorial Stadium into a tizzy Thursday night with a towering drive down the left-field line with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave the Cedar Rapids Kernels a 7-6 win over Burlington.

Byron Buxton, with shaving cream still on the side of his face, signs autographs for fans following his walk-off, ninth-inning grand slam.

“A great feeling,” Buxton said. “We played as a team tonight, came up at the end and won it all.”

Cedar Rapids (27-12) trailed, 6-3, but Burlington closer Jairo Diaz (a Kernel last season) hit Travis Harrison leading off, allowed a one-out double to Candido Pimentel, then hit pinch-hitter Tyler Grimes. He threw a mid-90s fastball low for ball one, then grooved one inner-half that “Buck” got every single piece of.

Buxton clapped his hands at home plate in mini-celebration before beginning his trot around the bases. He was mobbed by teammates at home plate, then was the recipient of the shaving cream pie from teammate Mason Melotakis while doing a live television interview near the Kernels dugout.

“He looked like he was ready for it. He hit it a ton,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. “That was fun to watch. A no-doubter. I think the biggest thing to me was as a young 19-year-old, to be in that situation, the first pitch was down, and he took it. He spit on that pitch. There are a lot of guys in that clubhouse that would have swung at it.”

Buxton reached base via hit or walk in his first 29 games for the Kernels but has been human of late, coming into Thursday night hitting .250 over his previous 10 games. A 2-for-5 night raised his batting average to .343, he leads the MWL by a wide margin in runs, is first in hits, second in extra-base hits, third in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging and third in stolen bases.

Opposing pitchers are throwing him differently than they did a month ago, but perhaps his biggest adjustment has been dealing with all of the rapidly growing attention he is receiving nationwide. For instance, Fox Sports North in the Twin Cities was in Cedar Rapids this week to film a piece on him.

He’s being mobbed everywhere he goes for autographs, and that included after Thursday night’s game. It would seem the off-field pressure is mounting on a kid from southern Georgia who is quiet and reserved by nature, the antithesis of former Kernels wunderkind Mike Trout, who was outgoing by nature and seemed to love the attention.

“I think I’m handling it pretty well. I’m not letting it get to me or affect my game,” Buxton said. ”I’m just going out having fun playing, that’s it. It is very tough. You’ve got to try and stay focused. You’ve got to grind it out every day.”

“He’s cool as a cucumber. I don’t think he’s being affected by all the attention,” Mauer said.

The manager said he thinks things are tougher on Buxton than even they were for his own brother. Joe and Jake Mauer were teammates with Quad Cities of the Midwest League during Joe’s first full season of pro ball in 2002.

“It’s kind of interesting because it has changed,” Jake Mauer said. “When Joe was here, first overall (pick), he didn’t face the same attention, I would say, as Buxton has. I would say it’s different … Now, I think, people pay more attention to what’s going on in the minor leagues. You’ve got the Internet, the Twitter machine and stuff.

“Everybody knows everything about everybody, for the most part. That has a lot to do with it. But I think the biggest thing that he knows is he has to go out and play. He doesn’t have to change who he is. He just needs to go play the game. And he can do that, without a doubt.”

Here is the game boxscore:

CEDAR RAPIDS — You’ve never met Hudson Boyd, so you look for the real big guy in the Cedar Rapids Kernels clubhouse. You finally find his locker, but the dude sitting in a chair in front of it is this svelte kid nowhere near the 268 pounds the roster lists him.

Hudson Boyd? Yep, Hudson Boyd.

“The only way to get people off your back about it is to change it,” said Boyd, the starting pitcher in the first game of a double-header split Wednesday night with Burlington at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Cedar Rapids won the opener, 6-5, and Burlington the nightcap, 6-4.

“I was tired of being called fat and heavy, so I decided to change it,” Boyd said. “I feel a lot better about it. Hopefully that leads to better things on the field.”

Boyd said he carries about 225 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame, 45 fewer than when he signed for a million dollars with the Minnesota Twins in 2011.  He was drafted 55th overall out of Verot High School in Fort Myers, Fla., where the Twins conduct spring training and have their high-Class A minor-league affiliate.

The 20-year-old right-hander didn’t begin his professional career until last season, when he went 2-5 with a 2.95 earned run average in 13 starts for Rookie-level Elizabethton. He has been decent in seven starts for the Kernels, giving up five runs in five innings of a no decision Wednesday.

Credit some of the inconsistency to adjusting to a new level and pitching with an entirely different body.

“He started out being pretty overweight when he first signed,” said Kernels pitching coach Gary Lucas. “I think he’s learning to pitch a little bit with less mass. Maybe that’s an adjustment that’s going to take a little while.”

“I noticed a difference in spring training,” Boyd said. “Maybe not with the pitching, but just getting through an entire day and not getting as tired and stuff. Next day, I wasn’t as sore as the day before. I’m getting over my front side better, which helps me keep the ball down a lot more. It definitely helps a lot.”

There have been some guys over the years who have been successful major-league pitchers despite being plus sized. C.C. Sabathia of the New York Yankees immediately pops to mind.

But Lucas was asked if Boyd had to lose some weight in order to have any sort of professional career.

“The whole beneficial package with him is on the plus side if he does,” Lucas said. “Because he can move around a little bit better, he can pitch deeper into games. If he projects as a starter, he’s going to have to go in all kinds of weather, all kinds of situations. There are all kinds of demands on him … He’s going to have to be in tip-top shape to handle 25 starts a year. Could he have gotten by for awhile? Yes. But there were some adjustments needed in his stature immediately, and he will agree with that.”

“Honestly, I don’t feel like I worked any harder to do it. I just feel like I ate a lot better,” Boyd said. “I changed my diet, made a lot better decisions. Like, I don’t drink soda anymore. Stuff like that. Just portion control, too, I guess. I try to eat as many vegetables now as I can.”

The Kernels (25-12) won the opener with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Michael Quesada reached on a one-out infield hit, pinch runner Jeremias Pineda stole second and scored from third on a two-out wild pitch.

Reliever Josue Montanez threw two shutout relief innings for the win. Quesada, Pineda and Montanez all arrived in town Tuesday from Twins extended spring training.

Burlington (13-21) scored early against Kernels starter Steve Gruver and never trailed in the nightcap. Tyler Grimes had a two-run home run for Cedar Rapids.

The teams play again Thursday night at 6:35.

Here are the gamescores in order:

CEDAR RAPIDS — Just kinda weird. That’s for regular Cedar Rapids Kernels fans and seven of the guys they have watched play a lot of baseball.

The Burlington Bees made their first visit of the season to Veterans Memorial Stadium Tuesday night, which could best be described as Reunion Night. Or the old Kernels versus the new Kernels.

Burlington, of course, is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels, whose low-Class A club was Cedar Rapids for 20 years. Seven Bees and Manager Jamie Burke were part of the 2012 Kernels.

“It is weird, it’s different,” said Burlington pitcher Cam Bedrosian, before a 5-4 Kernels win. “It’s different being on the other side of the field, the other side of the grass, the other dugout. But it’s OK. It’s good to be back.”

Bedrosian threw 2 1/3 hitless innings in relief of starter Ryan Crowley, another 2012 Kernel, who gave up Adam Brett Walker’s monstrous sixth-inning grand slam to take the loss. Center fielder Chevy Clarke made a great over-the-head diving catch to rob Cedar Rapids of a run in the fourth, then three innings later misplayed a routine fly into a four-base error that allowed Byron Buxton to score.

But those were the old Kernels, and this was a new Kernels night. Walker’s granny was over the batter’s eye in dead center, a 450-plus foot shot that gave him 10 home runs and a whopping 44 RBIs in just 35 games.

It was his third grand slam.

“I just know going up there with the bases loaded to try and get a pitch to handle,” Walker said. “He’s got to come to me. I’m sure most pitchers don’t want to walk a guy with the bases loaded, so I just try and look for a pitch up and just try to hit it hard. It’s paid off a couple times now.”

By the way, Walker is on pace for a 176 RBI season.

“It just seems that he’s always coming up with runners in scoring position,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. “More times than not, he just bears down. I don’t know if it’s just something inate with him. But he takes good swings with runners in scoring position, doesn’t leave a lot of RBIs out there.”

The Kernels (25-11) survived a four-error night, getting seven very solid innings from starting pitcher Brett Lee (3-2). David Hurlbut came on and stranded the tying run at third and go-ahead run at first for his third save.

The teams play a double-header Wednesday at 5:30.

Here is the game boxscore:

Romy Jimenez

CEDAR RAPIDS – For the first time in awhile, the Cedar Rapids Kernels have a full working roster of 25 players.

The Kernels sent outfielder Romy Jimenez to Minnesota Twins extended spring training Tuesday but received three players in return: catcher Michael Quesada, outfielder Jeremias Pineda and right-handed pitcher Josue Montanez.

Jimenez was 7 for 71 as a Kernel, with six RBIs. This is the second stint in Cedar Rapids for Montanez, who posted a 3.38 ERA in 2 2/3 innings.

Quesada was a 24th-round pick of the Twins in 2010 out of Sierra Junior College in California. He just served a 50-game Major League Baseball mandated suspension for testing positive last season for a performance-enhancing drug.

Pineda is from the Dominican Republic and was acquired in a trade from the Boston Red Sox.

It was the second walk-off hit of the series for Lewis, who also won Saturday’s game.

Tim Atherton (2-2) took the loss in relief for Cedar Rapids (24-11), which ended a season-long 12-game road trip. The Kernels return home Tuesday night to entertain the Burlington Bees.

Starting pitcher Matt Tomshaw retired 11 hitters in a row at one point for the Kernels but allowed a two-run home run to Renato Nunez in the seventh to put Beloit on top, 2-1. Cedar Rapids tied the game in the eighth on an RBI single from Jorge Polanco.

Here is the game boxscore:

Adam Brett Walker

Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Adam Brett Walker has been named Midwest League Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Walker hit .444 (12 for 27) last week, with four doubles, two triples, three home runs, 13 RBIs, and a 1.074 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). In a 23-16 win Sunday at Beloit, Walker had two homers, two doubles and seven runs batted in.

Walker, a third-round pick of the Twins in 2012, also was POW for week of April 22-28.

A.B. Walker

BELOIT, Wis. – Adam Brett Walker had two home runs and seven RBIs for the second time this season to help the Cedar Rapids Kernels outlast Beloit, 23-16, in a Midwest League offensive affair Sunday.

Walker also collected a pair of doubles, scoring four runs. He went 4-for-6.

Every Kernels position player had at least one hit and scored at least one run. Byron Buxton also had four hits, scored four runs and drove in four.

Cedar Rapids (24-10) had 19 hits and drew nine walks against five Beloit pitchers, including infielder Sam Roberts, who pitched the ninth. The Kernels had a 22-3 lead in the sixth inning.

Beloit had 19 hits, scoring six times in both the sixth and ninth innings. Reliever Alex Muren (1-0) got his first Kernels victory, allowing a run in 2 1/3 innings.

The teams have the rubber match of their three-game series Monday afternoon. Cedar Rapids then begins a homestand Tuesday, facing the Burlington Bees.

Here is the game boxscore.

The Kernels are expected to receive catcher Michael Quesada from Minnesota Twins extended spring training in time for Tuesday’s game against Burlington. Quesada, 23, hit .234 in 18 games last season for Rookie-level Elizabethton.

A 24th-round pick of Minnesota in the 2010 draft from Sierra Junior College in California, Tuesday is when Quesada will have officially served a 50-game MLB suspension for testing positive for Methylexaneamine.

Lewis’ hit came against losing pitcher Manuel Soliman. Cedar Rapids took a 2-1 lead in the top of the inning on a Travis Harrison RBI double, scoring Jorge Polanco, who led off the inning with a single and was sacrifice bunted to second.

The Kernels dropped to 23-10 this season. The team play the second game of their three-game series Sunday afternoon at 2.

Here is the game boxscore:

DAVENPORT – The Cedar Rapids Kernels extended their lead in the Midwest League’s Western Division to four games after a double-header sweep of the Quad Cities River Bandits, 2-0 and 5-1, Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The first game went 12 innings.

The Kernels improved to 23-9 as they hit Beloit for a three-game weekend series. The club finally returns home for eight straight games beginning with a four-game series against Burlington, beginning Tuesday.

Here are the game boxscores, beginning with the first game.

Kasey Semler (25) takes a shot over an opponent this season.

Former Marion High School and Kirkwood Community College basketball guard Kasey Semler said via Facebook Thursday night that he will continue his education and basketball career at Northern Iowa this coming year.

Semler is recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL, suffered late in Kirkwood’s season. He said he will be a walk-on this coming school year for the Panthers, with no other promises for the future.

“Great program and environment,” Semler said. “Couldn’t be more excited from both an educational and basketball standpoint.

Semler was an all-stater at Marion and played well in two seasons for Kirkwood as a shooting guard. At UNI, he’ll be reuinited with old childhood friend and teammate Wes Washpun, who will be a red-shirt sophomore for the Panthers this coming season.

Nick Stein

CEDAR RAPIDS — Nick Stein will earn his degree this spring in athletic training, but the soon-to-be Coe College graduate is in no hurry to use it.

He’s got other things on his mind. Such as a professional baseball career.

“Every little kid’s dream, MLB,” Stein said, after Coe knocked off Loras, 6-3, Thursday night in the Iowa Conference baseball tournament at Veterans Memorial Stadium. “But it’s one step at a time. I’ll take whatever opportunity comes to me, and whatever happens, happens. I’m going to do everything I can to play a sport I love.”

Not many kids from the NCAA Division III level get pro opportunities, though Stein only has to look as far as his dugout to see it does happen. Coe Coach Steve Cook played two years in the Los Angeles Angels farm system after an all-American career at D-III Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, including the 1994 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

“To be honest, he is more multi-tooled than I was,” Cook said of his center fielder. “He’s pretty good, and what makes him good is that he has multiple tools. He can defend in center field, he’s got a good arm. Offensively, he has some pop, but can also drop down a bunt and run.”

Stein, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound righty, led the Iowa Conference in the regular season with eight home runs and 19 stolen bases, hitting .363. He owns a ton of school season and career records, under recruited as a one-year player at powerhouse Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

That’s how he ended up at Coe, not feeling the junior-college route was for him. There are no D-II or III schools in Arizona.

“You can always say ‘What if,’ but I never regret my decision,” Stein said. “I was able to be something here, you know?”

Stein said he has talked to a scout from the New York Mets, but it’s unrealistic to think he’ll get taken in the Major League Baseball amateur draft next month. Especially since it has been cut from 50 to 40 rounds.

If he doesn’t get an immediate sniff from a big-league club, he already knows what he’s going to do.

“Hopefully playing independent ball and working from there,” he said.

Second-seeded Coe (27-12) rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the middle innings to advance in the winner’s bracket of this double-elimination tournament. The Kohawks play again Friday at 1 against top-seeded Wartburg.

Cedar Rapids has a 21-9 record and two-game lead on Quad Cities for first place in the MWL’s Western Division. After Friday’s double-header, the Kernels play three games at Beloit before finally returning home from a 12-game road trip, May 14 against Burlington.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders' Dylan Steman (8, right) slams US National Under-17's Ryan Hitchcok (47). (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)

That’s after the second phase of the United States Hockey League draft Tuesday.

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders took 27 players in an elongated, seven-hour draft that didn’t conclude until after 11 p.m. The club selected seven other guys with 1997 birthdates in the first phase of the draft Monday.

Possible returning players from this season whose USHL rights the RoughRiders own are:

Forwards – Bryson Cianfrone, Dylan Gareau, Alec Marsh, Dylan McLaughlin, Andrew Oglevie, Judd Peterson, Jack Rowe, Dylan Steman, Ross Olsson, Michael Babcock, Corey Petrash, Andrew Poturalski. Defense – Mark Auk, Clark Kuster, Avni Berisha, Scott Moldenhauer, Paul O’Connor. Goalies – Chris Birdsall.

Those from the 2012-13 affiliate list whose rights the Riders own are:

Forwards – Austin Kamer, Trevor Stone, Ryan Wagner, Jason Kalinowski. Defense – Mitch Reinke, Johnny Walker. Goalies – Drew Vogler, Chad Catt.

Russian defenseman Ivan Provorov signed an official USHL tender prior to both phases of the draft, which consistuted C.R.’s first pick in the first phase.

That leaves all of the drafted guys Monday and Tuesday. Here are the lists, beginning with the first phase.

The Riders’ annual tryout camp is May 30 through June 2 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. It’ll be interesting to see how many of these guys will attend:

Coe swept Wartburg in a double-header to end the Iowa Conference regular season last week. The Knights still won the IIAC championship, but the Kohawks hope the twin wins will catapult them to a third consecutive conference tournament championship.

Maybe it will, maybe it won’t.

“No doubt it’s going to help our guys,” said Coe Coach Steve Cook. “Wartburg is a quality program, obviously, and is the regular-season champion. Coming up with (those) two wins, hopefully we’ll be able to carry over some momentum and just some confidence, especially offensively. You want to go into the tournament with offensive confidence.”

The Iowa Conference baseball tournament begins this afternoon at 1 with first-round games at Daniels Park (Central vs. Simpson) and Veterans Memorial Stadium (Buena Vista vs. Loras). The remainder of the tourney is at Memorial Stadium, including second-seeded Coe’s opener at 4 against the Central-Simpson winner.

Top-seeded Wartburg plays the BV-Loras winner at 7. As always, this is double elimination, with the winner qualifying for NCAA Division III regionals.

“For us, we’ve got to pitch and play defense,” said Cook, the former Cedar Rapids Kernels infielder who has won 337 games in 17 seasons at Coe. “Get some timely hitting. You talk about cliches, that’s about as cliche as it gets … And you’ve got to be ready for anything.”

Coe lost seven offensive starters from last season’s regional qualifier but still went 26-12. The Kohawks have one of the top players in the league in senior outfielder Nick Stein, who led the IIAC in home runs (8), slugging percentage and stolen bases. Sophomore A.J. Reuter of Monticello had a club-best .372 batting average.

Wartburg (31-9) leads the Iowa Conference in just about every offensive category. In a double-elimination format, you’ve got to have deep pitching, so it’ll be interesting to see which of the six teams can get the most of that.

“Our tournament, that double-elimination format, you’ve got to take care of business right out of the shoot,” said Wartburg Coach Joel Holst. “You just don’t want to go into that loser’s bracket.”

“Wartburg is just so deep,” Cook said. “They come to play and their lineup, one through nine, is so strong. And they’re a veteran club.”

2013 IOWA CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT May 9-11 at Cedar Rapids Thursday, May 9
Game 1 – #4 Central vs. #5 Simpson, 1 p.m.^
Game 2 – #3  Buena Vista vs. #6 Loras, 1 p.m.
Game 3 – Game 2 winner vs. #2 Coe, 4 p.m.
Game 4 – Game 1 winner vs. #1 Wartburg, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 10
Game 5 – Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 10 a.m.
Game 6 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 7 – Game 5 winner vs. lower-seeded Game 3/4 loser#, 4 p.m.
Game 8 – Game 7 winner vs. higher-seeded Game 3/4 loser#, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 11
Game 9 – Game 8 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 10 a.m.
Game 10 – Game 6 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 11 – Game 6 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 4 p.m. (if necessary)

^ – Game 1 will be played at Daniels Park; all other games will be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium
# – If ONE of the Game 3/4 losers has already had a bye, that team will play in Game 7, regardless of seed.

Nick Master

The second phase of the United States Hockey League begun late Tuesday afternoon and was still going on as midnight approached. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders appeared to have done Master-fully.

That’s as in 18-year-old forward Nick Master, who the club took, with it first pick. The Broomhall, Pa., native has been playing with the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers program.

He is a 6-foot, 160-pounder who has committed to play college hockey at Massachusetts-Lowell.

“Nick Master has been a good player for awhile and just keeps getting better with each level he climbs,” Jr. Flyers assistant coach Bill Swahl said on the team website. “I saw Nick playing as a Bantam and just knew he would turn out to be that special player.”

Cedar Rapids had the fifth pick in the second phase. The second phase of the draft (formerly known as the USHL Entry Draft) lasted until each of the 15 teams had 45 total players, including possible returning veterans and an affiliate list of previously protected younger players.

Monday was the first phase (formerly the Futures Draft) and consisted of eight rounds of players with a 1997 birthdate. The RoughRiders did not have a first-round pick in the first phase because they officially tendered Russian defenseman Ivan Provorov over a month ago. In the second round, the club took forward Austin Alger of suburban Detroit.

The Riders’ second-round selection Tuesday was defenseman Christian Meike. The 17-year-old is playing for the D.C. Capitals program and is a University of Michigan commit.

With the first of back-to-back third-round picks, the RoughRiders selected goaltender Danny Tirone, a Connecticut native and University of New Hampshire commitment who has played for both Shattuck St. Mary’s (Minn.) and Loomis-Chaffee (Conn.) prep schools. Tirone was named prep school player of the year for 2013 by U.S. Hockey Report.

Defenseman Jerad Rosburg from Maryland and the Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets was selected immediately after Tirone. Because of trades, the Riders didn’t have another pick until the fifth round, where they took forward Alex Funk from Rochester (Minn.) Lourdes High School.

In the seventh round, Cedar Rapids drafted tiny center Brendan Harris. The Las Vegas native is 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds and has committed to play at St. Cloud State.

Also in the seventh, the Riders took 6-foot-4 defenseman Aaron Titcomb, a Massachusetts native who has committed to play at Merrimack College. Left winger Mitchell Fossier (Alpharetta, Ga.) was an eighth-round pick and defenseman Seamus Donohue (St. Thomas Academy/Minnesota) a ninth-rounder.

The Riders’ tryout camp is May 30 through June 2 at the Ice Arena.

The Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate was recalled Monday by the Chicago Cubs from the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. It was immediately uncertain if the 28-year-old outfielder would be in the starting lineup for Monday night’s game at Wrigley Field against the Texas Rangers.

Sweeney was released late in spring training by the Boston Red Sox and signed to a minor-league free-agent deal by Chicago. He hit .337 in 23 games (83 at-bats) for the I-Cubs, with six home runs and 16 RBIs.

Those were the first games in the minors for Sweeney since he played nine in the 2008 season.

“It’s a good feeling,” Sweeney told the Des Moines Register. ”I put in some hard work down here, and, hopefully, I’ll get up there and transfer it over.”

Sweeney flew into Chicago on Monday morning, after finding out late Sunday afternoon he was headed back to the bigs. He was removed in the sixth inning of the second game of Iowa’s home double-header.

“I’m ready to go,” he told the Register. “Nobody wants to come back here, but I tried to make the best of it and get back there as quickly as I can.”

Sweeney is a career .280 hitter in the major leagues. He has played parts of seven seasons (535 games) with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Red Sox, amassing 1,900 at-bats. He has dealt with injuries throughout his career, including last season, when he played in just 63 games with Boston.

“I just came here and showed that I’m healthy, that I can play every day and put together good at-bats,” Sweeney told the Register.

The Kernels (19-7) jumped on top of the Whitecaps in the first inning as the top four hitters in the lineup all scored.  Byron Buxton singled and Niko Goodrum walked to set the stage.  Jorge Polanco, Dalton Hicks, and Adam Brett Walker all drove in runs with RBI singles to put the Kernels up 3-0.  Hicks later scored on a wild pitch, and the Kernels led 4-0.

West Michigan (12-14) started the trend of the day by fighting back with 3 runs in bottom of the first inning.  David Gonzalez scored on a RBI groundout by Jeff Holm.  Jared Reaves came home on a fielding error by Kernels third baseman Travis Harrison.  Zach Kirksey’s RBI single cut the Kernels lead to 4-3.

A 2-out, 2 RBI single by Niko Goodrum in the fourth inning scored Travis Harrison and Candido Pimentel to put the Kernels up 6-3.  Harrison and Pimentel drew back to back walks to start the inning.

Zach Kirksey’s solo home run in the sixth inning trimmed the Kernels lead to 6-4.

Mason Melotakis (2-1) went a career-high 6 innings for the win, allowing 4 runs (2 earned).  The lefty allowed 8 hits, struck out 3, and walked 1.

The Whitecaps cut the Kernels lead to 6-5 in the eighth inning on Mario Martinez’s RBI double.

The Kernels pushed across a pair of key insurance runs in the ninth inning on Jorge Polanco’s 2-RBI double that scored J.D. Williams and Byron Buxton.

With the Kernels up 8-5, West Michigan rallied again the ninth inning, but were only able to plate a single run before the game ended.  With two outs Devon Travis homered and Jeff Holm singled to put the tying run at the dish, but Jake Stewart flew out to center to end the ballgame.

David Hurlbut notched his second save by going the final 1.1 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits.  Manuel Soliman recorded a hold by throwing 1.2 innings and allowing 1 run on 1 hit.

Endrys Briceno (0-2) took the loss for the Whitecaps over six innings.  He allowed six runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking three.

NEXT GAME:

Saturday, May 4 (6:05 p.m. CT) @South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona Diamondbacks)  (Coveleski Stadium)          

Cedar Rapids: RHP Tyler Duffey (3-1, 2.60) vs. South Bend: RHP Blake Perry (0-1, 4.97)

Radio:  KMRY 1450 AM/93.1 FM & www.kernels.com

Here is the game boxscore:

From left, Kernels' President Gary Keoppel, Jim Rantz, Twins' Sr. Director of Minor Leagues, and Brad Steil, Twins' Director of Baseball Operations. (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)

First-year Minnesota Twins director of minor league operations Brad Steil was in town for an entire six-game Cedar Rapids Kernels homestand that ended Tuesday. The Kernels went 6-0, prompting Manager Jake Mauer to tell Steil “you’re going on the road with us, too, now.”

Steil replaced Jim Rantz – for whom he worked for 13 years – as Minnesota farm director in the offseason. Rantz retired after 27 years on the job.

“He’s gone through it, and he knows the routine,” Rantz told FSN North in March. “One thing he’s more aggressive about, more so than I was, is he goes to the Latin countries. He has a feel for the game. He played hockey, so he was an athlete. We worked closely together, and he deserved this. Everybody wants to move up. He qualified, obviously, with time served.”

Steil was kind enough to sit down with The Gazette toward the end of the homestand and talk about a team that had a 18-6 record through Wednesday, good enough to be ranked No. 2 overall in the minor leagues by Baseball America.

He talked specifically about some of the individual prospects on the Kernels, including outfielder Byron Buxton, who was leading the Midwest League in batting through Wednesday. Buxton reached base via hit or walk in his first 23 games with Cedar Rapids.

Here are Steil’s thoughts:

Q: What are your general impressions of this Kernels team?

A: They’re an exciting club to watch. With their lineup, they’re never out of a game. I think they could come back from about any deficit. It’s really good to see that they play together and really pull for each other. There is a good chemistry going. It might be easy because they’re winning, but I think even if it wasn’t going as well as it is, that would still be there.

Q: What are you most happy about regarding this team, whether it’s collectively or individually?

A: Just that they’re playing at a high level. They play hard, they play the game the right way. They’re bringing a lot of energy to the park every day.

Q: Are you happy with the state of the farm system overall right now? You look at (high-A) Fort Myers, and they have the best record in minor league baseball. Your other clubs have been winning games, too.

A: Yeah, we’ve had a good week. The other side of it is we’re focused on having our prospects progress and make improvements, and I think we’re doing OK there. Some of the guys here are doing well. For instance, (outfielder) J.D. Williams is one guy that has made some big improvements from last year. (Pitcher) Tyler Duffey moving into the starting rotation and has taken to that quite well. Those are good things to see.

Q: You look at Williams, and you’ve got to be happy with the improved plate discipline, right? (He has 20 walks to 17 strikeouts, after walking 39 times all last season)

A: Yes. He’s showing more discipline, more maturity at the plate. Understanding his role and how guys are pitching him.

Q: How long will Byron Buxton be here?

A: Good question. I understand it. He’s playing very well. There are still some things I think he can learn here. We’ll just continue to evaluate it as we go.

Q: Will he be here at least through the first half of the season?

A: Don’t know about that. We’ll have to see.

Q: Could you give me some thoughts on other players if I throw their names out there? How about shortstop Niko Goodrum?

A: Niko’s doing a nice job at shortstop. I think consistency is one of the things we’re looking for from him. He seems to be (giving) that so far. Left-handed, he has swung the bat pretty good so far, and that’s his weaker side. He’s done a pretty good job so far this year.

Q: How about second baseman Jorge Polanco?

A: Jorge is swinging the bat well. He’s doing all right at second base. He’s probably a guy that’s going to play around some as the season goes on. He has been impressive at the plate so far.

Q: What have you seen from third baseman Travis Harrison?

A: Travis had that big home run/single the other night, so that was good to see. I know Jake has been working with him on his swing, trying to get him to stay back and not drift so much. That’s going to help him. He’s working hard at third base and has made a lot of improvements since last year. He’s been better there, worked hard in the offseason to improve his athleticism. I think that’s paying off for him.

Q: You look at the power (outfielder) Adam Brett Walker and (first baseman) Dalton Hicks have provided this season and in their short careers. Are they essentially the same hitter, only one swings from the right side (Walker) and one from the left (Hicks)?

A: Well, they are both guys that have a lot of power. Their approaches are a little bit different at the plate, though. D.J. has gone into a little bit of a funk here. I think he’s just overswinging, trying to do a little too much. He’ll get that taken care of, he’s a good player. Once he relaxes a little bit and gets a little more under control, the results will improve. Adam Brett, he’s got a lot of power. The key for him is going to be waiting for his fastball and taking advantage of it.

Q: I know you didn’t see Jose Berrios’ first start at Burlington last week, but could you talk about him, especially the experience he gained pitching in the World Baseball Classic? Pitching here in Cedar Rapids at age 18 kind of shows what you guys think about him, right?

A: Jose is a great competitor. He’s got a good fastball and a good slider. Developing command of his mix is going to be key for him to progress and move up. The WBC was a good experience for him, I think, to be around some older guys and to be in a high-profile environment like that. (Missing so much of spring training) took us a little while to get him ready to come up here and start. But I think he’s ready to go. It might take him two or three starts to get into the flow here.

Q: Are there still some guys in extended spring training that you hope will be here at some point this season?

A: We do. Max Kepler, outfielder, has had an elbow issue this spring. It kind of improved, then there was a setback, so it’s been kind of a tough deal. It’s nothing serious, I don’t think, but sometimes those things can last a little while. So we’re trying to get him healthy. Starting pitcher Christian Powell was our eighth-rounder last year. He’s doing OK down (in extended). He’s probably a guy we’ll see up here at some point.

Q: How about Luke Bard? (The pitcher was a first-round sandwich pick last year out of Georgia Tech who has a consistently mid-90s fastball)

A: Bard’s another guy. He’s got some biceps tendinitis and some shoulder soreness. So we’re working through that with him. He’s on a rehab program right now, and it’s going to be a little bit with him, yet.

Q: I know pitcher J.T. Chargois was a teammate of Tyler Duffey’s at Rice and apparently has a real good arm. He is injured as well?

A: Yeah, has a strained elbow. He’s starting to throw now. There’s a chance that when he gets healthy, he may go over to the (Fort Myers) Miracle. That’s based on what he did last year.

The Kernels had a nine-game streak snapped Wednesday night at West Michigan, 7-2. Outfielder Byron Buxton did walk twice to extend his streak of reaching base via hit or walk to 23 games.

Here is the game story and box score courtesy of Kernels radio broadcaster Morgan Hawk:

CEDAR RAPIDS – There is nothing about 354 12th St. SW that seems out of the ordinary. It’s a nice little white house inhabited by pair of brothers.

It also just happens to sit a sometimes uncomfortable distance beyond the left-field fence at Veterans Memorial Stadium and has become a favorite target for Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Byron Buxton.

The teenage phenom nailed Eric and Bill Bagg’s property for a third time this season, a lengthy blast that helped the Kernels past Lansing, 5-4, Tuesday afternoon, C.R.’s ninth consecutive win.

“Had no idea about that,” Eric Bagg said early Tuesday evening. “I’m not a baseball fan at all. My brother is.”

Buxton has four home runs this season, three at home, all of which have been hit well enough to land on adjacent 8th Ave. SW and take one big bounce somewhere on Bagg land. The first two landed on the home’s slanted roof and rolled off, with Tuesday’s hitting halfway up a front-yard tree.

For the record, it’s roughly 50 feet from the back of the picnic porch that sits atop the left-field fence to 8th Ave., and about 65 to 70 feet from the edge of the street to the Bagg’s house.

“I actually think we had one end up in our yard last night,” Eric Bagg said. “We seem to get some from time to time during batting practice and stuff.”

Bagg had no idea who Buxton was, had no clue he is quickly becoming one of the better minor-league prospects in the game and didn’t know he signed a pro contract last year for $6.2 million.

“Maybe we should get a little something, something (for him hitting our house),” he kidded.

The Kernels are making a little something, something off Buxton’s ever-growing popularity, especially among Minnesota Twins fans. His number ”7″ Kernels T-shirts have been quite the popular item since arriving at the souvenir shop at Veterans Memorial Stadium a week or so ago.

A mere $21.95 gets you a nice replica of his home white jersey. The original shipment of 48 is down to just one unsold.

“Don’t worry, there are more on the way,” assured Kernels General Manager Doug Nelson.

Now if only Nelson can somehow keep Buxton here in town awhile longer, power he obviously doesn’t have. The 19-year-old leads the Midwest League offensively in multiple categories, including batting average (.392). He has four home runs and 21 RBIs out of the leadoff spot and has reached base via hit or walk in all 22 games he has played.

The Kernels hit the road for 12 straight and don’t return home until May 14. At first blush, it’s absurd to think Buxton won’t be with the team then, but it’s not unrealistic to think he could be with high-A Fort Myers if he continues this enormous early pace.

“I understand it,” Twins farm director Brad Steil said of the promotion talk. ”He’s playing very well. There are still some things I think he can learn here. We’ll just continue to evaluate it as we go.”

“He’s starting to get pitched backwards now, which is a good thing,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer.

That means seeing lot of breaking balls and offspeed pitches at the beginning of counts.

“He’s laying off those pitches,” Mauer noted.

Dalton Hicks also had a prodigious two-run homer Tuesday, a first-inning drive that cleared the batter’s eye in center field. He’s believed to be only the third player in the ballpark’s 12 years to accomplish that, with Kane County’s Jason Stokes (2002) and Beloit’s Kennys Vargas (last season) the others.

“Oh, 400-plus. That’s all I know,” Hicks said, when asked the estimated distance on his drive. “The wind was blowing out really hard. Those kind of shots, you don’t really feel at all. Once I got it up there, the wind just took it.”

Matt Tomshaw threw five shutout innings in a spot start to get the pitching win for Cedar Rapids, which plays Wednesday night at West Michigan. Lansing rallied to within a run in the ninth but reliever Tyler Jones got Christian Lopes on a routine fly to right with the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first.

That tying run was Cedar Rapids Jefferson graduate Kellen Sweeney, who went 1 for 3 with a single and walk. The Lugnuts doubled the Kernels in hits, 10-5.

Here is a link to the game boxscore:

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t492&gid=2013_04_30_lanafx_cedafx_1&cid=492&t=g_box

Jose Berrios

CEDAR RAPIDS — As Jose Berrios left the mound and walked toward the dugout after being removed from the game with two outs in the seventh inning Monday night, you noticed how he snuck a peak at the stands.

Two conspicous gentlemen wearing Puerto Rico national baseball jerseys were standing at their seats along the first-base line, tipping their caps at him. Berrios smiled ever so slightly at them.

“My family and everybody applauded,” the Cedar Rapids Kernels pitcher said after a 9-1 win over Lansing at Veterans Memorial Stadium. “Thank you. That was very good.”

“That was a sign of letting him know he did his job. We’re here with you. Excellent outing. Keep it up,” explained Angel Berrios Sr., Jose’s father and one of the cap tippers. Jose’s older brother, Angel Jr., was the other.

The men made the trip from Puerto Rico to watch Jose pitch very well. Two other family friends and Berrios’ agent also were in attendance.

This was another example why the Minnesota Twins are so high on the 18-year-old right-hander. He threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and a run and striking out eight.

To think, less than a year ago he was pitching high-school baseball for his father.

“I was his star pitcher last year,” Jose Berrios said.

Angel Berrios Sr.

“It’s something big,” Angel Sr. said, through translator Sammy Zapata. “It’s very emotional seeing my son pitch and have an outing like he had today. Applying everything he has learned, and whatever his brother and I have taught him (over the years) just fills me with pride.”

Angel Berrios Sr. said this was the fourth time he has seen his younger son pitch on the big stage. That included a game last year in Rookie ball and this past spring at the World Baseball Classic, where Jose threw two innings for Puerto Rico.

He was much sharper Monday than in his somewhat jittery first game for the Kernels last week at Burlington, pouring quality strikes with his slider and changeup and a fastball that sat at 93 miles per hour and topped out at 95. Berrios threw 86 pitches, with newcomer Josh Burris relieving him and finishing up an eighth consecutive win for Cedar Rapids (17-5).

These teams conclude their three-game series Tuesday at noon. Lansing’s Kellen Sweeney, the Cedar Rapids Jefferson graduate, went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts.

The Kernels blew open a 2-1 game with five runs in the fifth, including having Jorge Polanco, Dalton Hicks, Adam Brett Walker and Travis Harrison hit for the cycle in order. Polanco remains white-hot at the plate, with three hits and three RBIs to raise hit batting average to .353.

Byron Buxton went 1-for-4 with three runs and an RBI. He has reached base via hit or walk in all 21 games he has appeared this season.

Here is the game boxscore:

The last shirt with Byron Buxton's number 7 for sale at Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)

That question was posed Tuesday to Minnesota Twins farm director Brad Steil. He was non-commital about his prized outfield prospect, as you’d expect.

“Good question,” Steil said. “I understand it. He’s playing very well. There are still some things I think he can learn here. We’ll just continue to evaluate it as we go.”

Buxton, 19, has been unreal the first month of the Midwest League season, reaching via hit or walk in all 20 games he has played through Sunday. He leads the league in batting average (.389), runs (21), on-base percentage (.511) and slugging percentage (.639), and is second in hits (28) and total bases (46).

He reminds a lot of people around here of Mike Trout, who posted similar numbers with the Kernels as a teenager in 2010. Trout lasted 82 games before getting a promotion to high-Class A.

Will Buxton last that long with Cedar Rapids? It doesn’t exactly sound like it.

Steil was asked if the phenom will at least be here until the all-star break in the middle of June.

“Don’t know about that,” he said.

Lansing's Kellen Sweeney (left) is congratulated by teammate Dwight Smith Jr. (18) after Sweeney hit a home run in the fifth inning Sunday. (Gazette/KCRG photo by Kaitlyn Bernauer)

CEDAR RAPIDS – He thought mom had lasagna on the menu for supper Sunday night. Being a minor-league baseball player, anything but fast food or ballpark food works.

Besides, Kellen Sweeney got a heaping helping of home cooking Sunday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium, and it was mmm, mmm, good. Slump-busting good.

The Cedar Rapids Jefferson grad hit a home run and double in his Lansing team’s 4-3 loss to the red-hot Cedar Rapids Kernels. Sweeney figured it was the first time he had played at “The Popper” since he was a senior participating in a Perfect Game USA showcase.

If this is any indication, maybe the Kernels’ parent Minnesota Twins ought to consider trading for him and sticking him here the rest of the Midwest League season.

“I’ve been comfortable at the plate the last week or so, but nothing was falling, and that’s just baseball,” Sweeney said. “To come home and have a good game the first time here, having my family here rooting me on, is an awesome experience.”

Sweeney, 21, was a second-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, but it hasn’t been a smooth ride as a professional. He has dealt with injuries and came into this season a .209 career hitter.

The lefty swinging infielder was in a 0-for-24 batting skid when he drove a Tyler Duffey pitch just over the center-field fence (and a leaping Byron Buxton) for a 400-foot home run in the fifth inning. He drilled a pitch into the right-field corner for a double in his next at-bat in the seventh.

Those were just his second and third extra-base hits this season. The much-needed 2-for-3 game improved his average to .169.

He hopes it’s the beginning of a turnaround.

“I didn’t know I had a home run (at first),” Sweeney said of his fifth-inning hit. “I thought he had caught it, and I was just like ‘Aw, just my luck. This guy’s going to rob me.’ But after I knew it was out, I could hear everyone cheering and stuff. A good experience.”

Sweeney had roughly 25 to 30 family members and friends in attendance rooting him and the Lugnuts on. By the way, his older brother, Ryan, is hitting .369 with six homers in 18 games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

“My family does a great job of calming me down,” Kellen said. “I get frustrated and stuff. But other than that, it’s baseball. Everyone is going to go through these slumps and all that. You’ve just got to pick yourself up and get out of it.”

Sweeney was a shortstop in high school, but the Blue Jays moved him to third. He primarily has played second base this season, though he was Lansing’s first baseman Sunday for just the second time.

He was terrific defensively, snagging a line drive in the first inning and doubling up a runner at second base with a strong throw. In the fifth, he alertly caught a pickoff attempt from starting pitcher Alonzo Gonzalez and made a quick and strong throw to the plate to nab J.D. Williams of the Kernels, who was trying to steal home.

That play, in particular, impressed Kernels Manager Jake Mauer.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Mauer quipped, when told of Sweeney’s middle-infield experience.

The Kernels won their seventh-straight game, scoring the winning run in the eighth on a two-out RBI single to right by Dalton Hicks. Duffey (3-1) gave Cedar Rapids a huge lift with a strong eight-inning starting pitching performance that saved what has been a recently over-worked bullpen.

Tyler Jones got his third save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. The teams play again Monday night at 6:35.

Here is a video of Sweeney’s home run, a short video interview with him and a copy of the boxscore:

Kernels infielder Travis Harrison reacts to being called out as he reached home base at the Cedar Rapids Kernels versus Great Lakes Loons baseball game at the Veterans Memorial Stadium on April 25, 2013. (Kaitlyn Bernauer/The Gazette-KCRG9)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Someone on the Cedar Rapids Kernels owes Travis Harrison three more bases and three more RBIs. Probably more than just some “one.”

At least buy him a nice dinner or something.

“We won,” Harrison shrugged, after his hit gave his club an exhilirating 8-7, 11-inning win over Great Lakes last night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

What kind of hit? Officially a single, though his pinch-hit line drive landed on the porch in left field with the bases loaded and one out for an apparent grand slam.

Sheer pandemonium broke out as Harrison rounded first base, with about half of an emptied dugout mobbing him. Players were literally all over the field celebrating.

Eventually, Harrison fought his way to home plate and touched it. But after a long conversation with Great Lakes Manager Razor Shines, umpires ruled three of the four Kernels runners had abandoned the bases (the exception being lead runner Niko Goodrum).

A puny little walk-off single. An 8-7 win instead of 11-7.

“It was a fastball right down the middle,” Harrison said of his hit. “I went up there looking for it. I was ready to go. He threw it right there. I couldn’t help but swing.”

He did get a cold cooler of Gatorade dumped on him by teammates while he was showering postgame. As if screwing up his stats wasn’t good enough.

“I got swarmed around second,” Harrison said. “Just tried to make my way to home plate. That was that. The game was over.”

It was incredible dramatics for the Kernels (15-5), who won for a sixth-straight time. Adam Brett Walker sent the game to extras with a three-run home run with one out in the ninth against Great Lakes closer Scott Griggs.

Walker hit a towering fly to left that Malcolm Holland of the Loons leaped for but couldn’t get. It took a second or two for everyone, including the 2,063 fans in attendance, to realize the skyscraper had gone over the fence.

“I knew it was close,” said Walker. “I thought it might sneak out. Was just up there praying it would go. He jumped and no one knew if he caught it. Finally we found out.”

It was the fifth homer in his last four games for Walker, who has a whopping 16 RBIs in that span. He carries a four-game home run streak into Sunday afternoon’s 2:05 game at home against the Lansing Lugnuts.

“Nothing like this,” Walker said, when asked if he has experienced anything similar in his baseball life. ”It’s exciting. I’m just trying to stay in the moment. Just trying to keep having good at-bats, not get too carried away. This is pretty crazy right now.”

Goodrum singled through the second-base hole to lead off the Kernels’ 11th. Jorge Polanco bunted him over to second, and Dalton Hicks singled to right to put runners on the corners.

Walker was intentionally walked, and Harrison picked on the first pitch he saw from losing reliever Arismendy Ozoria. David Hurlbut got the vulture win for Cedar Rapids.

Here is the game boxscore and video of Harrison’s walk-off…single.

Adam Brett Walker

CEDAR RAPIDS — Adam Brett Walker has an intriguing personal background. The start to his pro baseball career has been pretty intriguing, too.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder is from Milwaukee but played college ball at Jacksonville University in Florida. His father was briefly an NFL running back with the Vikings, his mother a former national high-jump champ.

Walker led the Rookie Appalachian League in home runs last year with 14. He’s got five already this Midwest League season, including a pair and seven RBIs in a 13-8 win Friday night over Great Lakes at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

This kid’s got the power tool big time.

“I tell you what, Walker had my whole career in two nights, that guy,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. “That’s unbelievable.”

A third-round pick of the Twins in last year’s draft, Walker is an imposing 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. He began this season slowly, failing to make consistent contact, which has been the biggest knock on him.

But he’s been awesome lately. He had a homer and four RBIs in a win Thursday night, and his three-run shot to left-center in the first inning extended his longball streak to three consecutive games.

“I’ve pretty much been trying to slow the game down,” Walker said. “I was maybe trying to do a little too much before. So I’ve just been trying to slow it down and put the barrel on the ball. I just think thinking the other way has helped me be on time. I’ve started seeing the ball better, and I can take some chances more.”

In the fourth inning, he wasted a Luis Meza pitch to about the same spot for a grand slam. Throw in an infield single and intentional walk, and that’s quite a night.

Walker leads the MWL with five home runs and 22 RBIs. His batting average has climbed to .313.

By the way, he has gone by Adam Brett since he was a kid. People started calling him that to distinguish him from his father, Adam.

“When he stays inside the ball, he’s fun to watch,” Mauer said. “I think (he’s got a chance). I think he’s going to be able to hit a little bit … With him being so strong, he can hit the ball almost as far to right as he can to left. He doesn’t have to pull anything. When he stays on pitches like he did tonight, it’s scary.”

“I think my job individually is to try and drive the ball and drive in runs,” Walker said. “Not necessarily try to hit home runs, but just drive the ball gap to gap and drive in runs. That’s the main thing I try to focus on. I’m just trying to get good pitches and barrel them up. Usually, when I’m barrelling them up, good stuff happens.”

This was the fifth win in a row for the Kernels (14-5), who finish this three-game series Saturday afternoon at 5. Byron Buxton went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, but walked three times and has reached in all 19 games this season. Cedar Rapids was the recipient of 10 more walks, a night after drawing 12. Steve Gruver got the pitching win in relief.

Jesmuel Valentin, son of former big leaguer Jose, had a single, double and triple in his first start for Great Lakes. A first-round sandwich pick of the Dodgers last year, Jesmuel was just promoted from extended spring training.

The Kernels are expected to fulfill their open roster spot with Joshua Burris. The right-handed pitcher is expected to join the team from extended spring training.

Burris, 21, is from LSU-Eustice Junior College. He went 7-0 with a 1.75 earned run average in 18 relief appearances last season for Rookie-level Elizabethton. He struck out 40 in 36 innings.

Here is the game boxscore:

CEDAR RAPIDS – Brad Steil was one cold man Thursday night, sitting in the elements at Veterans Memorial Stadium for a laborious three-hour and 20-minute baseball game. But the Minnesota Twins farm director was surely one happy man, too.

Watching Byron Buxton do his considerable thing had to make him that way.

“He has a lot of talent,” Steil said, after the Cedar Rapids Kernels‘ 16-7 win over the Great Lakes Loons. “You can see why he went second in the draft last year. The impressive thing is that you see how improved he is from last season already. He’s picked up so much.”

“Buck” continues to impress everyone. He went 3-for-5 with a walk, four runs and five RBIs to help the Kernels improve to 13-5. He hit a majestic, towering three-run home run to left field in the second inning that landed on 8th Street SW and bounced onto the roof of an adjacent house.

That’s the second time he’s done that in the first three weeks of the season. His already gaudy batting average is up to .419, tops in the Midwest League.

If you haven’t seen this kid play, do so. He’s an absolute treat, a legit five-tool talent who surely is headed for a major league outfield some day – maybe sooner rather than later.

“I’m still seeing the ball real well,” Buxton said. “Hitting the ball, hitting the ball in spots. I’ve got great teammates to drive me in. It’s always fun to be on a team like that.”

“I think it was instructional league (last fall) when he started to come on,” Steil said. “The GCL (Gulf Coast League) last year, he started something like 0-for-25 after he signed with us. Then he started to pick it up and played all right at Elizabethton. But I think it was instructional league where he started to figure things out. You started to see the tools and the talent. Now it’s obvious.”

Buxton was asked if he might be surprising himself by what he has done early. This is a 19-year-old kid making a big jump from Rookie ball to low-Class A.

And doing it in what has generally been cold and wet weather.

“A little bit,” he said. “I knew I had what it took to get out here and perform. I’m just out here having fun and playing my game. Letting it flow, and seeing the ball very well. I guess the outcome is showing.”

Steil was asked the same question.

“That’s just indicative of the kind of kid he is,” Steil said. “He’s confident, coachable. He has made a lot of progress. It’s exciting for us.”

Locals have compared Buxton to Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout, who also was a teenage center fielder when he tore up the Midwest League for the Kernels in 2010. It’s so early, but thus far Buxton has been every bit as good as Trout was here, if not better.

That’s so incredible to say.

“He’s just an all-around great player. He can do it all,” Buxton said of Trout. “I just want to be somewhat close to him in my performance. I just want to get to the big leagues.”

The Kernels also got a three-run home run from Adam Brett Walker and walked 12 times against three Great Lakes pitchers. Tyler Jones got the win in relief.

The teams play again Friday night at 6:35. The Kernels announced a roster move before Thursday night’s game, with outfielder Drew Leachman being promoted to high-Class A Fort Myers and pitcher Matt Tomshaw activated off the disabled list.

Leachman hit .346 in six games for Cedar Rapids, spending a week-plus on the DL himself with a shoulder injury. Tomshaw threw the final 1 2/3 innings of Thursday’s game.

The Kernels’ roster is at 24 players, one under the limit.

“We’re going to talk about that,” Steil said, when asked if Cedar Rapids would be receiving another player shortly.

Here is a copy of the game boxscore: