Kernels suffer walk-off loss at Wisconsin

APPLETON, Wis. ‑ Taylor Brennan hit a two-run home run with none out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Wisconsin a 6-4 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Wednesday night.

Brennan's shot to center followed a leadoff single to center by Paul Eshleman. Relief pitcher Brandon Bixler took the loss.

The Kernels went ahead in the sixth inning, 4-2, thanks to a Mitch Garver RBI single and run-scoring wild pitch. Wisconsin tied it in the bottom of the inning on a Clint Coulter two-run homer, that coming after Michael Ratterree was hit by a pitch from Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Aaron Slegers.

That's when tempers flared. Wisconsin pitching coach Elvin Nina and outfielder Jose Pena were ejected in a dugout-clearing incident after Pena, following in the order after Coulter, took a Slegers pitch inside.

Also ejected were Wisconsin's Omar Garcia, Cedar Rapids infielder Joel Licon and Minnesota Twins roving hitting instructor Bill Springman, who was arguing with Wisconsin Manager Matt Erickson.

Garver, Chad Christensen and Engelb Vielma had three hits apiece for Cedar Rapids (27-32). The teams play the second game of their three-game series Thursday night.