Winokur and Tait Go Back-to-Back, Kernels Best TinCaps 3-2

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Brandon Winokur and Eduardo Tait blasted back-to-back seventh-inning home runs to give Cedar Rapids the lead it would not lose in a 3-2 series-opening win over Fort Wayne.

The TinCaps opened the scoring Tuesday night. In the top of the second, back-to-back doubles from Carlos Rodriguez and Jack Costello combined to plate a run to lift Fort Wayne ahead 1-0.

They doubled their lead in the fourth. With two outs in the inning, Jonathan Vastine lifted a solo home run to right to make it 2-0.

But that would be the last Fort Wayne baserunner. Jason Doktorczyk got the win, allowing just one run on one hit across five innings of work out of the Cedar Rapids bullpen. Behind him, Nick Trabacchi locked down the win with two perfect innings to earn his first save of the season. The Kernels closed the game, retiring the final 16 TinCaps.

The Kernels got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the fourth. Yasser Mercedes walked to lead off the inning in his high-A debut. After he stole second, he stole third and scored on a Rayne Doncon RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1.

That stayed the score until the seventh. With two outs and the bases empty, Brandon Winokur lined a game-tying home run to right to pull the Kernels even 2-2. The next batter, Eduardo Tait, followed suit, launching a home run over the right field wall to give the Kernels a 3-2 lead. It’s the second time in as many games Cedar Rapids has hit back-to-back home runs, and tonight it was the difference in the one-run win.

The victory improves the Kernels to 19-15 on the season and to 11-2 in their last 13. The six-game series with Fort Wayne continues Wednesday at 12:30. Miguelangel Boadas makes his 2026 Cedar Rapids debut opposite Maikel Miralles.