MacLeod Dominates as Kernels Top Peoria 5-2

Cedar Rapids, IA - Christian MacLeod tossed a career-high six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with a career-high ten strikeouts in a series-opening win against Peoria 5-2.

After winning the final two games in the series against Lansing, the Kernels offense got on the board first right away in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Olivar ripped a single, and after a walk moved him to third, he scored on a Rayne Doncon base hit to lift Cedar Rapids ahead 1-0.

In the second, Cedar Rapids expanded the lead. With one out, Nate Baez blasted his fourth home run in three games, a solo shot to center to lift the Kernels ahead 2-0. The next batter, Payton Eeles, in his high-A debut, ripped a triple and later came home to score on a wild pitch to up the advantage to 3-0.

That was the only lead Kernels’ starter Christian MacLeod needed. In his eighth start of the year, MacLeod went a career-best six shutout innings, allowing just one walk on one hit compared to a career-high ten strikeouts in his first win of the season.

With MacLeod out of the game, Peoria got on the board for the first time in the top of the seventh. Won Bin-Cho singled to begin the inning, and three batters later, Dakota Harris blasted a two-run home run to put the Chiefs on the board and make it a one-run game at 3-2.

That stayed the score until the bottom of the eighth. With one out, a Baez walk and an Eeles hit-by-pitch put a pair of runners on, and a wild pitch moved them both into scoring position. The next batter, Kyle Hess, plated Baez with a sac fly, and the throw in got away, allowing Eeles to come home, increasing Cedar Rapids' edge to 5-2, the score that would be the final.

The win is the Kernels’ third straight and improves Cedar Rapids to 37-26 on the season. Game two of the six-game series is set for tomorrow at 12:05, with Pete Hansen on the mound for Peoria opposite Jacob Wosinski.