Chiefs Tack on Five Late Runs, Top Kernels 9-2

Cedar Rapids, IA - Leading 4-2 after seven innings, Peoria scored twice in the eighth and three more times in the ninth to handle Cedar Rapids in the series finale 9-2.

After coming from behind in the last two wins, the Kernels struck first on Sunday. To begin the Kernels half of the first inning. Rayne Doncon tripled and came home to score a batter later on a Ricardo Olivar sac fly to put Cedar Rapids on the board first, 1-0.

But the lead was short-lived. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with just one out for Peoria in the top of the second. After a Michael Curialle sac fly tied the game, Osvaldo Tovalin put the Chiefs on top 3-1 with a two-run single.

That stayed the score all the way until the top of the seventh inning. Peoria stater Quinn Matthews held the Kernels' bats to just one run on a pair of hits while picking up seven strikeouts across six innings.

In the top of the seventh, Peoria extended its lead to three. To begin the inning, Dakota Harris crushed a solo home run to lift the Chiefs ahead 4-1.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Kernels answered back. To begin the frame, Payton Eeles was hit by a pitch. After he stole second, he moved to third on error and scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit back down to 4-2.

Up by just a pair, Peoria opened the game up in the late stages. First, in the top of the eighth, a Tovalin two-run home run extended the Chiefs' lead to 6-2. In the top of the ninth, Curialle cleared the loaded bases with a three-run double to extend the Peoria lead to 9-2, the score that would be the final.

The loss drops Cedar Rapids to 39-28 on the season and 2-1 in the second half of the year. The Kernels play the back end of the twelve-game homestand starting Tuesday at 6:35 vs Beloit; both starters are TBD.