Kernels are smelling the food

CEDAR RAPIDS - One more for the grub, boys.

That's what the Cedar Rapids Kernels were reminded Saturday night after pulling off a 2-1, 10-inning win over the Peoria Chiefs at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Longstanding policy has the club's board of directors springing for a free Ox Yoke Inn meal at the Amana Colonies for players and staff whenever there's a 10-game win streak.

When Adam Brett Walker scored on a one-out wild pitch, that was victory number nine in a row. A perfect 9-0 to begin the Midwest League's second half, by the way.

"One more win," Walker said. "We've just tried to take it one day at a time so far here. We've just got to come out tomorrow, play the way we can and hopefully get that win."

"Grimer executed. Even though I took the bunt off, he bunted anyway. Must have been (on his own), or else he just didn't see me. One of the two. He had the whole middle of the field open ... He bunted a bullet, too."

File this under the you-know-you're-hot-when category. Adam Brett Walker rumbled home from third base on a wild pitch with one out in the 10th to win it.

Walker led off the inning with a single through the left side and stole second. After a Max Kepler walk, Tyler Grimes popped up a bunt that actually went over the head of hard-charging third baseman Patrick Wisdom for a fortuitous sacrifce.

Michael Quesada got behind in the count to Zach Russell, 1-2, but Russell buried a breaking ball outside that catcher Gerwuins Velazco could't corral. Velazco hustled back to the screen, retrieved the ball and threw home to Russell, but Walker slid under the tag,

Both starting pitchers deserved to chalk up a win but came away with dreaded no decisions.

Lefties Brett Lee of the Kernels and Hector Hernandez of Peoria were exquisite with their control and command and changing speeds. They combined to allow just nine combined hits (four from Lee).

Max Kepler's two-out RBI double in the fourth put Cedar Rapids on top, and that looked to be enough, with Lee sailing. But shortstop Jorge Polanco let a routine grounder that should have been an inning-ending double play in the eighth get between his legs to tie the game at 1-1.

To Lee's immense credit, he pitched out of a first-and-third situation fro mthere, striking out Charlie Tilson swinging and getting Nick Martini to ground to first.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon at 2:05.

"That's the adjustment teams are making. A lot more offspeed and fastballs in. Nothing really over the plate, as far as fastballs. I'm just trying to make the adjustment and work with it."

"Yeah, thought I had a pretty good break there. I took off, and it kind of bounced off the cement there and came back. Made it a little closer than I wanted."