Kernels Edge Chiefs in Series Finale

PEORIA, IL – In what turned out to be a battle of the bullpens on Sunday, the Cedar Rapids Kernels did enough to hold off the Peoria Chiefs 4-3 at Dozer Park.

With the game tied 3-3 after four innings, both bullpens traded zeroes into the eighth inning. With runners at first and third and one out, Misael Urbina gave Cedar Rapids a late 4-3 lead on a sacrifice fly.

The Chiefs went quietly in the bottom of the eighth but mounted a late rally against Cedar Rapids closer Nolan Santos in the ninth. With Peoria down to its final strike, Tre Richardson singled into left center to keep the game alive. After a wild pitch moved Richardson to second, Chase Davis batted with the tying run in scoring position. After working a long at-bat, Davis hit a one-hop rocket right at Kernels second baseman Rubel Cespedes to end the contest.

Cedar Rapids jumped out to an early lead Sunday against Chiefs starter Ixan Henderson, who was making his second High-A start. MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 prospect Walker Jenkins tripled on the game’s first pitch and scored on a sac fly to make it 1-0.

In the top of the third, the Kernels loaded the bases with no one out. Henderson was a strike away from not surrendering a run, but Cespedes bolstered the lead to 2-0 on an infield hit.

The Peoria offense blitzed Kernels starter John Klein in the home half of the third. Following an Alex Iadisernia walk, Richardson tripled off the wall in right to cut the deficit to 2-1. Then, Davis singled him home to create a 2-2 deadlock. Three batters later, Johnfrank Salazar singled into left to give Peoria its first lead 3-2.

A Kyle Hess RBI single promptly tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning. Neither starter lasted beyond the fourth in Sunday’s finale, and neither starter factored in the decision.

The Cedar Rapids ‘pen scattered just three hits and did not allow a run over 5 ⅓ innings. For Peoria, the trio of Benjamin Arias, Tanner Jacobson and Hunter Hayes allowed only one hit. Jacobson was charged with the loss after surrendering the Urbina sac fly.

Following a day off on Monday, the Chiefs will open a six-game road trip in Appleton, Wisconsin on Tuesday against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.