Russell helps Kernels end 9-game losing streak

CEDAR RAPIDS - They say you always end a long losing streak with a great starting pitching performance. Max Russell did nothing to rebuke that theory Thursday afternoon.

Perhaps the hottest hurler in the Midwest League, he lifted the Cedar Rapids Kernels out of the abyss of nine straight losses and being no-hit Wednesday night, pitching effectively into the eighth inning in his team's 3-1 win over Kane County at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Yes, we said “win.” That's a collective sigh of relief you hear from the Kernels clubhouse.

“It feels good to finally get a little weight off our backs,” said Kernels first baseman Brandon Decker. “We've just got to keep it going now.”

The weight is off their backs thanks to a lefty from Connecticut who went to school at Division II Florida Southern. Russell has been the Kernels' best starter, especially in May.

In his last four starts, he has given up just 10 hits and two runs, spanning 28 2/3 innings. He went seven innings in his previous three outings, but bumped that a notch Thursday, getting two outs in the eighth before being removed.

The run he allowed came in the second, but he prevented further damage by getting an inning-ending grounder with the bases loaded. Russell never looked back from there, giving up just three hits.

“You know we've had great starts out of our pitchers the last five games, probably,” Russell said. “But we needed a win, so I was a little more pumped up for this game.”

“Max threw a heck of a game,” said Decker. “He located his pitches well, kept the ball down in the zone. Nobody really hit a ball hard today against him. That's a credit to him.”

The Kernels (21-19) didn't exactly break out of the offensive doldrums they've been in but did enough. They manufactured a pair of runs in the second, then got a long home run to right from Decker in the third.

They finished with eight hits, which is eight more than they had Wednesday night. It's a start.

“Yesterday before our workout, I told them I didn't think it could any worse,” said Kernels Manager Brent Del Chiaro. “So I had to apologize in front of the whole team for lying to them because it got worse. I just think they realized ‘OK, we're at rock bottom. Now it can't get any worse.' I think we went out there today with a more relaxed attitude. Just kind of played good baseball. It was a clean baseball game for us.”

The Kernels play a weekend series at

Quad Cities.