Diaw, Kernels Win Fourth Straight, 8-4

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Khadim Diaw reached base all four times for the third consecutive game, helping the Kernels to their fourth straight win, 8-4, over West Michigan Friday night.

After Cedar Rapids came from five runs down to win on Thursday, they fell behind again on Friday. Jackson Strong singled to begin the top of the first inning. After he stole second, he moved to third and then scored on a pair of groundouts to put the Whitecaps on top 1-0.

But that was West Michigan’s only lead of the night. Marek Houston and Khadim Diaw walked to begin the bottom of the first inning in front of Brandon Winokur, who singled home Houston to tie the game 1-1. A batter later, Diaw scored on a Danny De Andrade RBI groundout to put Cedar Rapids on top 2-1.

In the second, a pair of two-out singles from Jaime Ferrer and Houston put two on for Diaw, who scored them both with a two-run double to extend the advantage to 4-1.

In the third, De Andrade reached with a single, and three batters later scored on a Jay Thomason two-run home run to put the Kernels up 6-1.

West Michigan got back within three in the top of the fifth. A Hunter Dobbins single and a Strong walk put two on for Samuel Gil, who doubled in both to trim the Kernels lead to 6-3.

Cedar Rapids got those two runs back in the bottom of the sixth. Rayne Doncon walked to begin the inning, and a batter later Ferrer launched a two-run home run to right to grow the lead back to 8-3.

The Whitecaps got a run in the eighth on an RBI groundout after a Cristian Santana double, but that would be as close as they would get in the 8-4 Kernels win.

The victory extends the Cedar Rapids win streak to a season-long four games and clinches a series win in the six-game set against West Michigan. Game five of the series is set for Saturday at 6:05. Jason Doktorczyk gets the start opposite Troy Watson.