Kernels put a lot of English into this win

CEDAR RAPIDS – He was pinch hit for in extra innings Friday night, then didn't play at all Saturday night. Yet Tanner English didn't take offense to either.

He insisted his big game Sunday afternoon had nothing to do with being extra motivated to prove Manager Jake Mauer wrong.

'Jake knows what he's doing. He absolutely knows what he's doing,” English said, after helping his Cedar Rapids Kernels past Lansing, 8-3, at Veterans Memorial Stadium. 'I wouldn't question his calls ever. I would have pinch hit (Friday) night in that situation for me, too, probably, because I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

'That's baseball. Get pinch hit for, then come out the next day and get three hits. Hopefully I can just keep putting good at-bats together and keep it going.”

English went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs as the Kernels (38-25) inched closer to clinching a first-half playoff berth in the Midwest League. Cedar Rapids has seven first-half games remaining and a five-game lead on Burlington for second place in the Western Division.

A speedy center fielder from the University of South Carolina, English hit a two-run home run in the third inning, lined a single over shortstop in the seventh and tripled home a run in the eighth. Then there was his defense, as he caught six flyballs, including running down a couple of deep ones in the gap.

'I don't know. Obviously it's been a frustrating go for me at times (this season),” English said. 'I'm trying to make little adjustments here and there. I'm just trying to be short and sweet with my swing. It worked out for me. I saw the ball well today.”

English was expected to hit better, quite frankly, than he has so far. He moved his batting average to .232 Sunday but leads the Kernels in walks and stolen bases (19).

The talent is undeniably there, and, as he pointed out, it's a long season.

'I've never played 140 games in a season, and we're not even halfway done, yet,” he said. 'So there's always room for improvement. That's the thing about pro ball that I love. You're not stuck in a short college season, where you're season is already done. I've got pretty much another whole season ahead of me … There's a lot of time, yet, to make adjustments and make improvements.”

'He's just got to stay on top of the ball a little bit. Get set up consistently,” Mauer said. 'I think a lot of times he's swinging before they throw it. At least he tells himself he's going to swing. He can do a lot of things. Affect the game defensively and do what he did today, a triple and a home run. He can do a lot of things offensively as well. He's just got to trust himself and get back to being the player he can be.”

Starting pitcher Sam Gibbons (1-1) provided seven good innings for Cedar Rapids, winning for the first time this season when his team broke a tie with three runs in the bottom of the inning. The Australian right-hander had a unique line in that he gave up just four hits and a pair of walks and didn't strike out anyone.

The Kernels had 12 hits, with Alex Real and Rafael Valera joining English in the three-hit club. The teams conclude their three-game series Monday at noon.

'Very encouraging,” Mauer said. 'Hopefully you'll see English break out here and get going. Real had another great day. (Edgar) Corcino just keeps chugging along. It was fun, fun to see them late in the game be able to put some things together and be able to open that thing up.”

Click on the 'BOX” icon at top right of this post to view the official game boxscore.

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