Rincon Dominates, Peoria Blanks Cedar Rapids 1-0

Peoria, IL - Peoria starter Hancel Rincon did not allow a run across seven innings of works as the Chiefs outdueled the Kernels 1-0 Friday night.

After the Kernels came from behind to win game three of the series on Thursday, it was Peoria who hopped on the board first on Friday. With one out in the bottom of the third, Miguel Villarroel reached with a single. After he stole second, he came home to score two batters later on a Chase Davis RBI bloop base hit to lift the Chiefs on top 1-0.

And that would be the extent of the scoring on the night. Chiefs starter Hancel Rincon recorded his best outing of the year. The right-hander did not allow a run across seven innings of work, allowing just four hits and one walk compared to four strikeouts. Behind him, Tanner Jacobson earned the six-out save, allowing just one hit while striking out three across two scoreless innings.

The combination of C.J. Culpepper and Spencer Bengard was nearly just as sharp on the mound for the Kernels. In his third start back off the IL, Culpepper allowed just one run in his three innings of work on three hits while striking out four and not issuing a walk. Behind him, Bengard, his former college teammate, took Cedar Rapids the rest of the way, posting five scoreless innings in just his second high-A outing, allowing three hits and no walks with two strikeouts.

The loss is the third in four games to begin the series in Peoria and drops the Kernels to 56-48 on the season and 19-21 in the second half. Game five of the six-game series is set for Saturday at 7:05, with Connor Prielipp taking the mound opposite Pete Hansen.