Kernels pop Cougars

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Kane County Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels answered with 6 runs in the bottom of the inning and beat the Cougars 8-4 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Cougars have lost three straight games and are 0-2 on their six-game road trip.

The Cougars’ Brian Fletcher hit an RBI double to drive home Yowill Espinal for a quick 1-0 advantage.

But the Kernels sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first. Cougars starter Leondy Perez (0-3) recorded just one out from nine batters he faced before leaving. He gave up 6 runs — 5 earned — on 5 hits, walked one and fanned none in the loss.

The Cougars’ Ryan Jenkins bounced into a double play in the third with the bases loaded to score Alex Llanos, and Ryan Stovall followed with a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 6-3. The Cougars scored their final run in the fifth when Lane Adams hit into a double play to bring home Fletcher, who went 4-for-4 for the second time in five games.