Home is where the wins are for the Cedar Rapids Kernels

CEDAR RAPIDS - They’ve been good at home this season. Like really good.

Like best-in-the-minor-leagues good.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels won their game Sunday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium, which isn’t exactly news. OK, it’s news, but of the repetitive variety.

Beating Beloit, 7-3, allowed C.R. to win five of the six games in this series. The final five games of this series, to be exact.

It also moved the Kernels’ record at the ballpark affectionately called The Popper to 29-11. That’s a .725 win percentage that is easily the best in all of full-season minor league baseball.

These Kernels always just seem to pop at home.

“What do they always say?” said Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman. “Play .500 ball on the road and clean up at home?”

The Kernels aren’t quite .500 on the road (15-18, actually), but the way they have cleaned up at home has more than made up for that. They have played six home series this season and won five, the exception coming last month when Lake County won four of six games.

“Just the comfort of being at home, being in a routine and stuff like that,” Dinkelman said, when asked his theories on why his club has played such good baseball in its own yard. “Having the last chance to hit gives you the opportunity to win late. I don’t know. I guess the guys like playing here. I don’t have an answer for this one.

“I mean, you do get comfortable with some ballparks. Learn some of the ins and outs of them or whatever. Again, hitting last, having the chance to win late. How many walk-off wins do we have?”

That number would be six, including one in this series.

“For such a difference (in record), that’s unbelievable,” said Minnesota Twins roving minor league outfield instructor Mike Quade. The longtime baseball man and former big league manager was in Dinkelman’s office postgame Sunday and overhearing the conversation between the skipper and a reporter.

If you’re looking for statistical reasons for this home dominance, good luck. The Kernels have only outscored opponents by a total of 20 runs.

They hit better on the road than they do at home. Cedar Rapids pitchers do give up over a run less at home per game than on the road, though Memorial Stadium is a pitcher’s ballpark, so that makes sense.

Perhaps there’s the sacrificing of a live chicken? Reference from the baseball movie “Major League” there.

in this particular win, Ricardo Olivar was the hitting hero, as he went 3-for-4 with a walk, a pair of doubles and five RBIs. The kid has had a terrific season thus far, leading the Kernels in most every offensive category.

“He’s been solid all year,” Dinkelman said. “Has good at-bats, doesn’t chase a whole lot. his strikeout rate is fairly low. And when he gets the barrel to the ball, he does damage. Right now, he’s on a streak where he is hitting the ball hard every time.”

Starter Christian MacLeod picked up the pitching win, though it was three sparkling relief innings by Jarret Whorff that was more impressive. The Kernels are a season-high 15 games over .500 overall at 44-29, including 6-2 in the second half of the Midwest League season.

The club plays Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Quad Cities, then returns home for games against the River Bandits on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

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