Kernels beat Quad Cities in 13 innings

CEDAR RAPIDS – Jake Mauer has a gunslinger's mentality when it comes to coaching third base. Perhaps calling him a riverboat gambler over there would be more appropriate.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels manager was glued to the computer in his office after his team outlasted Quad Cities, 4-3, in 13 innings Saturday night, watching a replay of the Preakness Stakes.

His grandfather, Jake, was a professional horse racing handicapper at Canterbury Downs in the Twin Cities for a long time. Grandpa Jake is well into his 80s, has macular degeneration and can't see well enough to be at the track much anymore, though multiple members of the Mauer clan – including both Jakes - put some money down together on the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

That might explain the younger Jake Mauer's consistent aggressiveness when it comes to waiving runners home.

'I wouldn't say I'm good, yet,” Mauer said, when asked about the intricacies of coaching third. 'I'm learning a lot still. Every now and then, you look like an idiot, too. That's just kind of the way it is. You make decisions. It's the same way it was when you were a player. You try and think of all the scenarios before it happens, and then you react. I think if you do it that way, you're all right. If you're surprised by what happens, then you're in trouble. Things aren't going to work out too good.”

Max Murphy led off the bottom of the 13th with a hard grounder down the third-base line for a double that may or may not actually have been fair. After a groundout, T.J. White picked on the first pitch he saw from Quad Cities reliever Jordan Mills and poked one through the right side and into right field.

Right fielder Bobby Boyd fielded the ball before Murphy had even touched third base, but there was little doubt Gunslinger Mauer was going to send him. Boyd's throw beat Murphy to the plate, but QC catcher Jamie Ritchie couldn't field it, and Murphy slid home safely to end it.

'Once it comes to extra innings, oh, yeah, you know he's going to waive you home,” said White. 'You've got to score, you've got to go hard and end the game, basically. Try and save some (pitching) arms if we can.”

'I don't think there was going to be any confusion with the ‘go' sign there,” Mauer said with a laugh. 'I think you've got to make them make the play. Especially tonight, and where we are in the bullpen … If they throw him out, they throw him out. Sometimes you've got to force them to do it. Kid made a good throw. Thank God the catcher couldn't handle it.”

Cedar Rapids (22-13) took a 3-2 lead into the seventh, only to see Quad Cities (28-8) tie it. Left fielder Trey Vavra went 4-for-6 for the Kernels, with his outs coming in the form of deep flyballs.

He is 21 for his last 44 at the plate (.477), and that includes a night earlier in the week where he went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts. His season batting average is up to .350.

Vavra is the son of parent Minnesota Twins bench coach Joe Vavra and younger brother of 2014 Kernels infielder Tanner Vavra.

'He can hit. He can flat out hit,” Mauer said. 'Obviously with his dad, he comes from a baseball family … He's a guy you never have to worry about preparing. He's going to be ready.”

The teams conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon at 2:05. Jared Wilson (4-0, 1.98 earned run average) is scheduled to be the starting pitcher for Cedar Rapids.

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