(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Cedar Rapids Kernels hit a pair of early home runs to grab an early lead on their way to a 6-3 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. There were five homers in the game to account for all the scoring with Cedar Rapids coming out on top in game one of the six-game series.
The Kernels (42-65 overall, 11-32 second half) scored three runs on one swing of the bat in the bottom of the first. Wisconsin starting pitcher Jayden Dubanewicz hit the leadoff batter on an 0-2 pitch and gave up a one-out single to Eduardo Tait on another 0-2 pitch. Then, Jose Salas hit a two-out, three-run home run to right on an 0-1 offering for the early 3-0 lead for the Kernels.
Jayson Bass added to the Cedar Rapids lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to put the Rattlers down 5-0.
Wisconsin (57-47, 23-18) also used the long ball to get on the scoreboard. Luis Castillo drilled a two-run home run down the line in right with one out in the fourth inning. Castillo’s homer was his sixteenth of the season.
Daniel Dickinson added another home run when the Rattlers second baseman lined a no-doubt line drive over the wall in left to bring the Rattlers to within 5-3.
Tait, the Kernels catcher, got that run back for Cedar Rapids with a long home run to right to lead off the bottom of the fifth against Yerlin Rodriguez. Tait has twenty homers this season.
Wisconsin had chances to get back in the game. Tayden Hall doubled with one out in the sixth but was thrown out at third on a stolen base attempt.
Sawyer Strosnider, the second round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2026 draft, made his professional debut with the Timber Rattlers as the starting right fielder on Tuesday night. He picked up his first pro hit on a one-out triple to left in the seventh. Strosnider was left stranded.
Eric Bitonti, who was left stranded at third in the second inning, was on base three times with a double and two walks.
Relievers Bjorn Johnson and José Meneses kept the Rattlers in the game as they combined for three scoreless innings. Johnson pitched two perfect frames with four strikeouts. Meneses allowed a hit and struck out two in the eighth.
Wisconsin lost ground to the two team in front of them in the second half playoff chase. Division-leading Beloit won 7-6 in ten innings at Peoria. Second place Quad Cities rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Fort Wayne 5-4. Beloit leads Quad Cities by 1-1/2 games and the Timber Rattlers by 2-1/2 games with 23 games remaining in the regular season.
Game two of the series at Veterans Memorial Stadium is Wednesday afternoon. Andrew Healy is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers as he makes his Midwest League debut. The Kernels have named Reed Moring (1-1, 9.00) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 12:05pm.
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