Fernando Romero continues to deal as Kernels shut out Kane County, 6-0

CEDAR RAPIDS — There have been a lot of good arms here in the four years the Minnesota Twins have been sending minor leaguers to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. None as good as Fernando Romero's.

'As far as pure stuff, he's probably the best starter we've had come through,' Manager Jake Mauer said, after Romero and the Kernels shut out Kane County, 6-0, Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. 'We've had Kohl Stewart and those guys, but their stuff isn't the same as this guy's.'

Mauer is vastly qualified to give that opinion since he's been the skipper all four years. Let's just say what he says carries a lot of weight.

Watching Romero in his four starts this Midwest League season, though, you're hard pressed to argue. The 21-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic has had a seamless transition from Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2014.

His fastball was consistently 96 to 98 miles per hour Wednesday, topping out at 99, and he showed a biting slider that came in as high as 91 MPH. Try and hit that.

Romero threw seven shutout innings and needed only 68 pitches to do it. He got a ton of first and second-pitch outs, but still was able to strike out seven.

An elongated bottom of the seventh ended his night. Michael Cederoth was brought in from the bullpen and finished up this neat little four-hitter.

Cedar Rapids is 33-25 and in first place in the MWL's Western Division.

'First of all, I felt great. I'm feeling really good,' Romero said. 'Like I told you last time, I'm 100 percent. And consistency, that's what I want. I'm trying to attack the zone earlier.'

Romero is 4-0 with a 1.17 earned run average since arriving from extended spring training. He was held back because the Twins didn't want him to pitch for the first time in a season and a half in cold weather.

He has allowed just 10 hits and four walks in 23 innings, striking out 21. This was a career-long outing for him, and it easily could have been his first complete-game shutout had his teammates not scored three runs in the seventh and made him sit for awhile.

Romero said he understood when pitching coach J.P. Martinez approached him in the dugout during the rally and told him he was finished.

'He told me 'You'll be out,' and I ask 'Why?'' Romero said. 'He answered me that the inning was so long. That's why they took me out. It was good. I didn't make that decision, but I have to do it.'

'His fastball is firm, but also he's a tough guy to barrel up,' Mauer said. 'Even balls they're getting hits on, it sounds like they're swinging a wet newspaper. It's sinking, it's cutting. I don't know if he tries to do it sometimes. He's got a good breaking ball, his changeup is pretty good.'

Mauer was asked if he's surprised Romero has been able to come back so strong, especially considering he had a minor medical procedure done on his knee this past offseason.

'That his command is where it is, I would say yes,' Mauer said. 'That's usually the last thing to come. He's a pretty tough kid, and a pretty smart kid. He's been chomping at the bit ever since he had his knee issue to come back. He's been wanting to pitch here for probably two years.'

A.J. Murray hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season in a three-run first for the Kernels. It was a towering two-run shot down the left-field line.

Luis Arraez went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. The teams conclude their three-game series Thursday night at 6:35.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com