Article: Kernels 9 Game Win Streak Has Had Some Drama

[Steven Buhr]

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have ripped through nine straight wins as they head in to a two week long road trip, but the streak hasn't come without a little drama.

 

Take this past Saturday, for one instance.

 

Most of you have probably already read or heard about the strange finish to that night's 8-7 Kernels win, but for those who haven't here are the basics of what you need to know:

 

Adam Brett Walker hit a game-tying three-run home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game in to extra innings.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

In the bottom of the 11th inning, the Kernels loaded the bases and Manager Jake Mauer sent Travis Harrison to the plate to pinch hit. Harrison had been the only Kernels player to have started every game this season up and Mauer had told him earlier in the game that he wouldn't be used unless the game was on the line.

 

If you’ll pardon the quality of the video from my phone, I’ll share what happened next:

 

 

 

 

Niko Goodrum, the runner on third base, trotted in to score the winning run, the other two runners, Dalton Hicks and Walker apparently did not complete their advancing to home before peeling off and joining the celebration in the infield.

 

It appears both eventually did make their way to home, ahead of Harrison. Whether Hicks and Walker crossed the plate in the correct order is certainly open to question.

 

Great Lakes manager Razor Shines clearly is getting in the ear of the home plate umpire by the time Harrison crosses home plate.

 

In the end, the umpires ruled that while Goodrum scored the winning run and everyone else successfully advanced at least one base, Harrison and the other two runners, at some point, abandoned their efforts to advance . The result is that Harrison was credited with a walk-off RBI single, not a grand slam HR, and the Kernels won 8-7, rather than the 11-7 score that a two thousand fans thought it was when they left the ballpark.

The odd finish didn't seem to bother the Kernels much as they went on to sweep a three game series with Lansing on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, extending their winning streak to nine games. If the Kernels start their road trip with another W, they'll earn a dinner in the nearby Amana Colonies, compliments of the Kernels Board of Directors. Even if they earn the dinner, they'll have to wait a while to collect, however, since their next home game isn't until May14.

 

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