Kernels beat South Bend for 19th straight home win

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have rallied for six runs in the sixth inning and have a 8-3 lead on South Bend at Veterans Memorial Stadium. We're now in the top of the ninth.

The Kernels (40-21) are attempting to win their 19th consecutive home game. The team hasn't lost at The Popper since a 12-2 loss to Clinton on April 28.

Cedar Rapids is in first place in the Midwest League's Western Division by four game on Quad Cities and five games on Clinton. There are nine games remaining in the first half.

South Bend scored two runs in the second against Kernels starting pitcher Manuarys Correa. Alberto Diaz led off with a single and scored on an ensuing Matt Helm double down the third-base line. He scored on a one-out sacrifice fly to right by Andrew Fie.

Cedar Rapids got a run back in the third against South Bend starter Mike Belfiore, a No. 1 draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jon Karcich doubled off the left-field wall leading off and scored on Matt Long's one-out double to left-center.

South Bend scored against reliever Jon Bachanov in sixth: Chris Owings doubled to right-center leading off and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Matt Davidson.

Cedar Rapids got three runs in the bottom of the inning. Mike Trout walked leading off, went to third on a Jean Segura single to right and scored on Casey Haerther's broken-bat single to center. Segura scored on a single through the shortstop hole by Jeremy Cruz. With two outs, Michael Wing singled to right to load the bases and Carlos Ramirez (hitting .188) walked on four pitches to score Haerther. Jon Karcich then blooped a two-strike pitch to right to score two more runs.

Segura walked leading off the bottom of the seventh and scored on a bloop sacrifice fly by Cruz that South Bend left fielder Helm dove and caught.