Kernels lose, Stewart ejected

CEDAR RAPIDS – The manager's door remained closed for a number of minutes after Saturday night's game. That's usually a sign Jake Mauer is meeting with a member of the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

There was no doubt who he was meeting with here.

Starting pitcher Kohl Stewart was ejected with two outs in the third inning of the Kernels' 6-3 loss to Beloit at Veterans Memorial Stadium after arguing with the home-plate umpire about a groundball RBI double down the third-base line by Beloit's Phil Pohl. The ball appeared fair, something Mauer agreed with.

'Even the second hop, I thought, was on the chalk,” he said.

Perhaps it was just an accumulation of things that got to Stewart. The Minnesota Twins' No. 1 draft pick last season gave up four unearned runs in the third, thanks to a pair of infield errors, before getting the heave-ho by umpire Brandon Butler.

Stewart barked at Butler as he ran toward home to back up the plate. A few more words, and that was that.

Mauer ran from the dugout and shielded Stewart from Butler as Stewart got in a parting shot.

'I really don't want to talk about it,” Stewart said postgame.

'It was just a tough call,” said Kernels catcher Alex Swim. 'It could have gone either way, foul or fair. Obviously, Kohl, heat of the moment … I'm not sure what he said, but obviously he was angry. The umpire took it to heart, I guess, and tossed him. I didn't hear or see anything, honestly.”

Mauer did not shield his prospect from criticism.

'He wasn't Kohl Stewart tonight. He just wasn't,” Mauer said. 'He got emotional. It's a good learning point to move on from this. Kohl Stewart is going to be a good pitcher, and he's going to pitch a long time. Part of his development is being able to overcome adversity and being able to overcome things he can't control.

'I went out there with guns blazing. Kohl told me what he said, and I was like I don't know what else to say. He just said the magic word. (Butler) said he gave him a chance to walk away, and he didn't. That's usually what happens.”

In his first full season of pro ball, Stewart (1-5) generally has pitched very well for the Kernels (36-49, 5-10), with an earned run average of 2.67. He has shown a mound presence that belies his young age (19).

This time around, he acted like a teenager.

'You put your bullpen in a tough spot, you put your teammates in a tough spot,” Mauer said. 'That's part of the deal. You have a responsibility to your team being the starter. You take the ball once every fifth day, and it's your job to give your team a chance. Good, bad or ugly, you've got to give your team a chance. If the umpires miss one … you've got to find a way to give your team a chance.”

Beloit (33-52, 3-12) ended a 10-game losing streak. The Kernels had four errors in the game, with just as many hits.

The game began well with Engelb Vielma pulling an RBI triple into the right-field corner and scoring on a Mitch Garver sacrifice fly. Garver was activated from the disabled list (concussion) prior to the game, with outfielder Zack Granite (quadriceps strain) replacing him there.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon at 2:05.

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