On week into the season, and Spencer Bengard already has three wins for C.R. Kernels

CEDAR RAPIDS - Spencer Bengard will break the minor league baseball record for most pitching victories this season. He’ll obliterate it.

At this pace. A small caveat there.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels right-hander was credited with the ‘W’ Saturday afternoon as the Kernels brushed aside Beloit, 7-4, at Veterans Memorial Stadium. He has pitched in three games the first week of the Midwest League season, all in relief.

And he’s gotten the win each time.

“I don’t know how many weeks are in a season. I just know there are 132 games,” Bengard said. “I don’t know if I’d say I’m the good luck charm. Right place, right time, I guess.”

There are 22 weeks in the season, by the way, which means he’s on pace for 66 victories.

“Just continue to pound the strike zone,” Bengard said. “Try and get ahead of hitters. You can’t strike anyone out on a 0-0 count, so get ahead and try and stay ahead.”

Bengard was a 15th-round pick of the parent Minnesota Twins in 2023, a teammate of former Kernels pitcher C.J. Culpepper at California Baptist University. He threw in a couple of games late that season, then 19 more last season for low-Class A Fort Myers and the Kernels.

He has started and been a multi-inning reliever in his pro career. He already has 11 1/3 innings under his belt already, given up just five hits and five walks, with 15 strikeouts.

He doesn’t throw hard, but throws strikes with his four-seam fastball, changeup, slider and sweeper.

“I’m not sure what the plan is for me,” Bengard said. “I’m fine with throwing with what I’m doing right now. Just be in the routine I’m in and stuff. It’s nice, it’s been working well. I don’t know how it’s going to be moving forward. I’m just willing to throw whenever they need me to throw.”

“He’s a guy who is super versatile,” said Kernels Manager Brian Meyer. “He throws a bunch of strikes, he keeps hitters off balance, keeps them off the barrel. He’s not going to strike a ton of guys out, you’ve got to play defense behind him. But he goes out there and competes. He’s not going to light up the radar gun, hit 94 today at the end of the day, but a guy who has made the most of his opportunity.”

The Kernels (5-3) got three hits and three runs scored from Kyle DeBarge to win a second straight game. C.R. has won three of five in the series, with it concluding tomorrow afternoon at 1:05..

The club announced pregame it was placed infielders Rayne Doncon and Kaelen Culpepper on the seven-day injured list with back and wrist injuries, respectively. The Kernels have had to place four guys on the IL already.

“Amazing team, amazing lineup,” Bengard said. “They’re great hitters, were great hitters in college. Then all of our international players are hitting really well, playing defense really well. I surely appreciate that.”

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com