Kernels win crazy season opener, 7-6, in 10

The Cedar Rapids Kernels gave it away Thursday night. Then they took it back.

Then they gave it away again. Then they took it back ... for good.

The Men of Corn let a three-run lead after five innings get away, blew a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, only to rally for two runs to tie it in the bottom of the ninth and one in the 10th to win a wild four-hour season opener, 7-6, before 2,029 fans at Memorial Stadium.

What a way to begin 2009.

Alexi Amarista doubled to right against losing relief pitcher Steve Blevins with two outs in the bottom of the 10th.

Estrella followed with a game-winning double into the left-field corner. He hit .280 in 2008 for the Kernels and was surprised when he learned late in spring training that he was returning to Cedar Rapids, but if he keeps producing two-hit, three-RBI games like this one, he won't be here long.

The thing about the rally is Manager Bill Mosiello literally saw none of it. Some kind of reaction to his contact lenses blurred Mosiello's vision to the point he had to quit coaching third base after the fourth inning.

Mosiello toughed it out, running the rest of the game from the dugout, as hitting coach Brent Del Chiaro took over at third. Trainer Dan Nichols took the manager, whose eyes were so red and swollen he could barely open them, to the hospital shortly after the game for treatment.

"I'm amazed I made it through four innings at third," Mosiello said. "I couldn't see. Everything was blurry."

The skipper still wanted to talk about his team's never-say-die performance.

"Hopefully this is what we're about," he said. "That was a dogfight."

Back-to-back errors with two outs allowed Beloit to score the tying run in the seventh inning and cap a rally from a 3-0 deficit. A fielding error on Snappers second baseman Ramon Santana in the bottom of the inning allowed the Kernels to go back ahead, 4-3.

But Kernels reliever Vladimir Veras met lots of trouble trying to close the game in the ninth. Santana atoned with a leadoff double over left-fielder Matt Crawford's head.

He was at third base with two outs when cleanup hitter Henry Sanchez laced a single to center to tie things at 4-4. Sanchez was a No. 1 draft pick of the parent Minnesota Twins in 2005 whose development has been hindered by a myriad of injuries.

Jon Waltenbury followed with a ringing two-run double to the gap in right-center to chase Veras, who allowed three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. He was taken off the hook by a spirited comeback by the Kernels in the bottom of the ninth.

Tyson Auer singled to center leading off against Beloit closer Danny Rondon, then Amarista doubled to left. Estrella had a productive groundout to short that scored Auer and moved Amarista to third. Amarista it back up at 6-6 on a Gabe Jacobo single through a drawn-in infield. 

Christian Scholl picked up the victory in relief for Cedar Rapids, which host Beloit again tonight at 6:35.

The Kernels played Angels baseball to take a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. That would mean aggressive on the basepaths for those of you who aren't familiar with the parent Los Angeles club's style and what it preaches at the minor-league level.

Cedar Rapids scored twice in the first against Beloit starting pitcher Shooter Hunt, who battled his control all night. Auer walked on a 3-2 pitch leading off and stole second. Amarista also walked on a 3-2 pitch, then Estrella singled through the middle to score Auer for a 1-0 Kernels lead.

Jacobo hit into an ensuing double play that plated Amarista.

In the second, Hunt's wildness continued. He walked Angel Castillo leading off, then Matt Crawford singled through the shortstop hole. With runners  on the corners with two outs, Crawford stole second base, with Castillo scoring when catcher Alexander Soto airmailed a throw into center field. The Kernels were 7-for-7 in stolen bases in the game.

Kernels starting pitcher Michael Davitt was wonderful, striking out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Unfortunately it was one of those Ks that scored Beloit's first run.

The bases were loaded with two outs in the sixth, when Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate Michael Harrington swung at a breaking ball in the dirt for strike three that eluded catcher Anel De Los Santos and went back to the screen, with Harrington reaching first and Evan Bigley scoring.

That brought in reliever Kevin Nabors, who walked Angel Morales on five pitches to bring home another run and make it a 3-2 game.

Harrington, by the way, played four years at College of Charleston and was drafted by the parent Minnesota Twins last year in the 13th round. He went 1-for-2 with a double and walk as the Snappers' left-fielder.