2nd half of 2024 Midwest League season begins for Cedar Rapids Kernels

CEDAR RAPIDS — That was ending the first half of the season with a fizzle.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels had their finale Thursday night canceled at Veterans Memorial Stadium because of an unplayable field. Heavy rain plus not having the tarp on the field overnight equaled a 64-game first half instead of the scheduled 66.

Cedar Rapids also had an earlier first-half game at home squashed by rain.

The Kernels finished with a 37-27 record, good for second place in the Midwest League’s Western Division. Wisconsin won the first half and the subsequent playoff berth that goes with it by 4 1/2 games.

It always was going to be an uphill battle for C.R. considering it finished the first half with 12 straight road games in Michigan. The Kernels went into the trip 1 1/2 games out of first place and went a respectable 6-6.

Wisconsin, though, just wouldn’t lose. The Timber Rattlers had the best first-half record in the MWL at 42-23.

Lake County won the Eastern Division, by the way.

“To come back 6-6 on a long road trip like that is not too bad,” said Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman. “Wisconsin played well. We tried to catch them there a little bit, but they didn’t lose many down the stretch. It’s hard to gain ground when they don’t lose.”

So the Kernels’ streak of postseason appearances comes down to winning the second half, or finishing second again if Wisconsin wins again. Cedar Rapids has made the Midwest League playoffs 11 consecutive years, every year it has been affiliated with the Minnesota Twins.

As its record indicated, the Kernels played pretty good baseball for the most part in the first half. It was bamboozled, if you will, by player promotions and injuries.

Keep in mind, of course, progressing guys to the next level is the primary goal of the minor leagues.

Pitcher Zebby Matthews went 3-0 with a 1.59 earned run average in four starts and went to Double-A Wichita. He has continued to shove there, to the tune of a 1.77 ERA in six starts.

Pitcher Andrew Morris went 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA in seven starts, then went to Wichita. He has a 1.71 ERA in Double-A.

Infielder Luke Keaschall was the Kernels’ best position player, hitting .335 with a 1.001 OPS and 14 stolen bases in 44 games before getting his promotion. He’s hitting .321 in 22 games for Wichita.

Then there were the injuries. Outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and shortstop Danny DeAndrade (both considered legit prospects) missed a good chunk of the first half and remain on the IL with a back and ankle injury, respectively.

Three starting pitchers also find themselves on the injured list. They’d be Miguelangel Boadas, C.J. Culpepper and Darren Bowen.

Dinkelman said Gonzalez is the closest of the five mentioned to returning. He’s in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League playing rehab games.

Culpepper and Bowen are playing catch, which is a good sign.

“Our starting rotation has taken a hit,” Dinkelman said. “We lost Zebby and Morris to Double-A, we lost Culpepper and Bowen, and now Boadas is out, too. That’s five of our six starters right there. Hopefully we’ll get a couple of guys back here soon, and see what happens the second half.”

The second half began Friday night in the middle of a home series against Peoria. It was a thriller that the Kernels won in walk-off style, 6-5.

Trailing heading to the bottom of the ninth, 5-4, Cedar Rapids loaded the bases with one out, then got a sacrifice fly to right field from Jay Harry on an 0-2 pitch in a lefty-lefty situation to tie things at 5, with runner Rayne Doncon also tagging up and moving from second to third base.

Kevin Maitan then hit a two-out chopper with overspin that got through Peoria third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin for an error that scored Doncon.

The teams play against Saturday night at 6:35, with former University of Iowa pitcher Ty Langenberg scheduled as the starter.

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