A.J. Murray with 3 hits, Fernando Romero with 3rd win as C.R. Kernels blast Beloit

BELOIT, Wis. — A.J. Murray had three hits and a pair of RBIs Wednesday night to help the Cedar Rapids Kernels to an 8-2 Midwest League win over the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field.

The rubber game of a three-game series is Thursday night.

The Kernels (30-22) pounded out 12 hits, scoring twice in the second and fifth innings and putting away the game with four runs in their final two at-bats. Daniel Kihle and Brad Hartong added a pair of hits each for C.R., with Hartong getting his team's lone extra-base hit, a double.

Starting pitcher Fernando Romero (3-0) won for the third time in as many starts since coming back from 2014 Tommy John elbow surgery. He allowed four hits and a pair of runs in six innings, striking out five.

Michael Cederoth and Kuo Hua Lo finished up the five-hitter.