Four-Run First Sends Chiefs to Season-Ending Defeat

Cedar Rapids, IA – The Cedar Rapids Kernels sent nine batters to the plate and scored four times in the opening inning Friday and bested the Chiefs 9-3 to advance to Midwest League Championship series, which begins Sunday in Midland, Michigan.

After C.J. Culpepper turned in a scoreless top of the first, the Kernels opened the door with a pair of walks against Peoria starter Zane Mills. After a force out, Cedar Rapids cashed in the free passes with four consecutive singles to jump out to a 3-0 lead. A Jose Salas RBI groundout put a bow on the four-run frame.

The Chiefs responded quickly with a run in the second inning. With Alex Iadisernia at second and two outs, Brody Moore laced a single into right to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Cedar Rapids threatened again in the home half of the second inning, but Joseph King tight-roped out of trouble. King entered with runners on the corners and one out in the inning. After a walk loaded the bases, King punched out Jorel Ortega and Luke Keaschall to keep the deficit at three.

Peoria recorded baserunners in five of the next six innings but could not break through against Kernels pitching. Culpepper departed after five innings of one-run ball and whiffed eight Chiefs batters to tie a career high. He earned the win Friday. Mike Paredes followed the Kernels right-hander and logged two scoreless innings in relief.

Cedar Rapids tacked on an insurance tally in the fifth to make it 5-1 and broke it open with three more tallies in the bottom of the seventh. With the score 6-1, Salas tripled to the gap in right center to score two more Kernels and extend the lead to 8-1. An eighth inning RBI hit from Luke Keaschall created a 9-1 margin.

The Chiefs, as they did all year long, did not go quietly in the ninth. With Osvaldo Tovalin at first, Maikel Hernandez connected on a pinch-hit, two-run homer against Kyle Jones to make it a 9-3 contest. For Hernandez, it was his only High-A hit after being promoted to Peoria on August 25.

Peoria’s season ended Friday after rattling off 69 regular season wins to clinch their first postseason appearance since 2018. Tuesday’s win marked their first postseason victory since September 13, 2018. Including the postseason, the Chiefs were 7-17 against the Kernels this season.

The Chiefs will release their entire 2024 schedule later this month.