Goodrum on the mend

CEDAR RAPIDS – Niko Goodrum still doesn't remember how he went from standing on first base to waking up on a stretcher at Kane County Sunday.

After stealing second, the Cedar Rapids Kernels All-Star shortstop sustained a concussion during a frightening home-plate collision in an attempt to score on a base hit.

“The catcher came up the line so I really had nowhere to slide, so some guys told me maybe I should stop, I ended up running into him,” Goodrum said before Cedar Rapids fell to Quad Cities Friday night, 6-1, in front of a Veterans Memorial Stadium crowd of 4,001, which included a noticeable contingent from the Twin Cities.

The 21-year-old was unconscious for about two minutes, and was taken to the hospital once awake.

“I didn't know where I was at, didn't know what was going on,” Goodrum said.

After a couple of days of headaches and sensitivity to light, Goodrum has shut down all baseball activities to focus on memory, biking, and running tests in order to receive clearance from doctors.

“It's been good,” said Goodrum, who is batting .270 with 28 RBIs in 48 games. “Headaches are gone. Everything's going on as scheduled.”

Cedar Rapids Manager Jake Mauer doesn't anticipate having Goodrum back in the lineup until the latter part of next week. For now, he remains a helpless spectator as the normally prolific Kernel offense was held hitless in the final seven frames to drop two of three in the series. Quad Cities 2012 first-rounder Lance McCullers (3-4, 1.57 ERA) struck out five in four innings of hitless relief to earn the win.

Christian Powell, an eighth-round pick last year out of College of Charleston, made his Kernels' debut on the mound and gave up eight hits and six earned runs for the loss. Dalton Hicks extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a first-inning double and his team-high 51st run batted in.

Cedar Rapids (37-22) leads Beloit by 2 ½ games with nine to play before the break. The magic number to clinch a first-half playoff berth remains seven, and Quad Cities (34-25) pulled within three games of Cedar Rapids with the win.

The Kernels wore special jerseys emblazoned with the Salvation Army logo on both sleeves, and the phrase “ONWARD!” below the jersey number on the back.

Adam Brett Walker missed his second straight game with a jammed wrist but is expected back Saturday. Lefty reliever Steve Gruver was selected as an All-Star replacement for former Kernels pitcher Tyler Duffey, who was promoted to high-A Fort Myers (Fla.) on Wednesday.

Cedar Rapids begins a three-game home series with Kane County today at 2. Monday's noon matinee will be televised by Fox Sports North in the Twin Cities.