Beloit Sky Carp hike winning streak up to nine straight games with 7-2 win over Cedar Rapids

The Beloit Sky Carp just keep on winning.

Carlos Santiago’s three-run homer capped off an explosive early outburst from the Sky Carp as it defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels 7-2 on Tuesdayin Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The victory was the ninth straight for Beloit, which was coming off a five-game sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts. Now the Sky Carp have opened up a six-game road trip against the Kernels with a 1-0 series lead.

Cedar Rapids got a run on the board quickly as Payton Eeles reached on a fielding error to start the bottom of the first, moved to second on Ricardo Olivar’s groundout and scored when Rubel Cespedes singled to left.

Sky Carp starter Jacob Miller was lights out after that frame. He induced a double play to escape the first inning and after allowing a leadoff single in the second, Beloit’s infield turned another double play.

Miller got help from his defense again in the fifth when Misael Urbina walked with two outs in the fifth but was thrown out by Mark Coley trying to advance to third on Kyle Hess’ single.

Miller struck out the final two batters he faced in the sixth, and he allowed four hits and one unearned run with two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.

Meanwhile, Beloit’s offense built up quite a lead for its pitching staff.

Mark Coley followed up singles from Sam Praytor and Osiris Johnson in the second with a two-run triple to deep center to put the Sky Carp ahead for good.

Josh Zamora doubled, moved to third on Carlos Santiago’s single and scored on Jorge Caballero’s sac fly to center to make it 3-1.

Tony Bullard began Beloit’s big fourth inning with a solo homer to left field. Osiris Johnson singled and an out later stole second and third but was out when Johnny Olmstead hit into a fielder’s choice. Zamora singled to left and Santiago hit his fifth blast of the season with a rocket to left field to make it 7-1.

Beloit scored all seven runs of Kernels’ starter Jordan Carr, and Kyle Bischoff, Rafael Marcano and Juan Mercedes allowed just five total hits over the last 5 1/3 innings.

Edgar Sanchez gave up an unearned run in the eighth as Eeles walked, went to second on a passed ball and scored on Olivar’s single into left.

Evan Taylor struck out two in a perfect ninth to seal the victory for Beloit, which is at the top of the Midwest League standings with a 4-0 record to start the second half of the season.

Tony Bullard led Beloit’s 14-hit attack with three hits. Olmstead, who had two doubles, Zamora, Santiago and Johnson, who swiped two bases, all added two hits to the vicious offensive attack.

The Sky Carp will look to keep up its winning ways as the series continues at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday.

BELOIT 7, CEDAR RAPIDS 2

Beloit 021 400 000 — 7 14 1

Cedar Rapids 100 000 010 — 2 5 1

Beloit (ab-r-h-rbi) — Coley, cf, 5-0-1-2, Olmstead, ss, 5-1-2-0, Zamora, 2b, 3-2-2-0, Santiago, 1b, 5-1-2-3, Caballero, dh, 4-0-0-1, DeLeo, lf, 5-0-1-0, Praytor, c, 4-1-1-0, Bullard, 3b, 5-1-3-1, Johnson, rf, 4-1-2-0. Totals: 40-7-14-7.

Cedar Rapids (ab-r-h-rbi) — Eeles, 2b, 2-2-0-0, Olivar, c, 4-0-1-1, Cespedes, 1b, 2-0-1-1, Maitan, 1b, 2-0-0-0, Doncon, 3b, 4-0-0-0, Harry, ss, 4-0-1-0, Baez, dh, 4-0-1-0, Ruiz, rf, 3-0-0-0, Urbina, lf, 2-0-0-0, Hess, cf, 3-0-1-0. Totals: 30-2-5-2.

E: Olmstead, Doncon. OF: Coley (Urbina at 3rd base). PB: Praytor. DP: Beloit 2, CR 1. LOB: Beloit 12, CR 4. SB: Johnson 2 (11). 2B: Zamora, Olmstead 2, Bullard, Baez. 3B: Coley. HR: Bullard (1), Santiago (5). SF: Caballero.

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k): B: Miller W, 3-3, 7-4-1-0-2-4, Sanchez 1-1-1-0-1-0, Taylor 1-0-0-0-0-2. CR: Carr L, 2-2, 3 2/3-9-7-7-2-1, Bischoff 1 1/3-0-0-0-1-2, Marcano 3-3-0-0-1-1, Mercedes 1-2-0-0-0-1.

T: 2:28. Att: 1,778.