Kernels win 5th in a row, then chillax

CEDAR RAPIDS - Professional baseball players are creatures of habit.

They wake up usually sometime in the late morning, grab lunch and head to the ballpark. Then it's batting practice, fielding practice and the game.

Repeat that procedure the following day. And the following day.

But the Cedar Rapids Kernels had a rare night to themselves following their fifth straight win Monday, 8-1, over Kane County at Veterans Memorial Stadium. A noon game played relatively quickly also afforded half of the afternoon.

When you're shoehorning 140 games into five months, any off time is highly appreciated.

“Being to the ballpark early (10:30 a.m.) is a struggle, especially after playing a night game before,” said Kernels pitcher Garrett Richards. “But it's really nice because your day is over early and you can relax the rest of the day. It's a drag in the morning, but when the game's over, it's totally worth it.”

Richards was rushing his girlfriend to The Eastern Iowa Airport, then joining seven or eight teammates at Ellis Park for a round of golf. Relief pitcher Johnny Hellweg actually carried his clubs out of the team's clubhouse.

“A bunch of us guys are going to golf, have a good time,” said outfielder Mike Trout, who homered and scored twice. “Just keep our minds off baseball for a little bit. Tomorrow morning when we get on the bus to Peoria, it's all baseball again and keeping that (win) streak going.”

Manager Bill Mosiello was looking forward to an evening of baseball, believe it or not. He's good buddies with Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton and always watches his games via computer.

The Rockies played at San Diego last night.

“The Rockies play at 9, so I'm going to be up late watching them,” Mosiello said. “The Angels play the Red Sox on TV at 6, I think ... I like having a night off, just like being able to go eat something good somewhere. I'm a morning person, I'm a night person. It doesn't matter. Eat something regular and get out of the ballpark before 11 is nice.”

Not everyone's plans were ultra exciting. Second baseman Jean Segura was simply going to chill-ax, as the kids say.

“Rest,” he said. “Talk on my computer to my family back home (in the Dominican Republic) and my girlfriend. Just rest and be ready for tomorrow.”

Randal Grichuk homered for a third-straight game for Cedar Rapids (13-12) and starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs threw five shutout innings. The Kernels play six games at Peoria and Wisconsin, including a game Friday night at Milwaukee's Miller Park against the Timber Rattlers.