I'm back to say, it must be a glitch. It does not necessarily need 2 strikes to release those upper cherries. In one game, I hit them 3 times...nothing. And in the game I just final won, 1 hit was all that was needed. It has to be a glitch.
I've run into the same problem. I've used sent up two vertical stripes and they still won't bust open the top right caged candy. There's apparently no need to continue to play.