Sean Poppen gets the Kernels poppin’ with 7 shutout innings in win over Kane County

GENEVA, Ill. — Sean Poppen did the heaviest lifting, but Zack Tillery and Hector Lujan also contributed to a 6-0 shutout for the Cedar Rapids Kernels over Kane County in Midwest League baseball Saturday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.

The win placed Cedar Rapids (28-21) back into first place alone in the Midwest League's Western Division. Kane County is a game back at 26-21.

Poppen (3-1) earned the win with his eighth quality start in nine outings this season. He allowed just three hits and struck out six in seven innings of fine work.

Tillery and Lujan finished up a five-hitter.

Offensively, the Kernels scored in the top of the first inning when Ariel Montesino doubled leading off and came around on a Travis Blankenhorn RBI single. Caleb Hamilton also added a run-scoring single in the inning.

Blankenhorn ended up driving in two more runs. Newcomer Hank Morrison had his first two hits and first RBI since joining the team Thursday.

The teams play again Sunday.

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