Kernels Walk Off Once Again

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Cedar Rapids Kernels blew a five-run lead in the ninth inning Friday evening at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium, but DaShawn Keirsey Jr. came through with a game-winning double that secured a 9-8 victory over the Peoria Chiefs. Cedar Rapids (32-26) earned its fifth consecutive triumph along with its second walk-off win in as many nights.

The Kernels struck immediately in their half of the ninth. Seth Gray picked up a leadoff walk, and Wander Javier was hit by a pitch to push pinch-runner Daniel Ozoria to second base. Keirsey batted next and delivered a decisive double to left-center field to finish the 9-8 win.

Prior to the game-ending heroics from Cedar Rapids, Peoria (22-36) turned its 8-3 deficit into an 8-8 tie. Zade Richardson homered to lead off the ninth inning. Jordan Walker later added a two-run double which was followed by Leandro Cedeno’s game-tying home run.

Friday’s contest was preceded by a rain delay of two hours and two minutes, and the game eventually began with a 5-0 start from Cedar Rapids. A double steal in the second inning brought in the opening run in the form of Keirsey. Javier and Max Smith registered two-run blasts during the third and fourth, respectively.

The Chiefs cut their fifth-inning deficit to 5-2 on Cedeno’s two-run double before the Kernels answered in the bottom of the frame. Gray and Javier hit back-to-back doubles with Gray scoring to stretch the lead to 6-2 Cedar Rapids.

Single tallies over the next few innings kept the scoreboard humming leading into the frenetic finish. Smith came home via wild pitch for Cedar Rapids within the sixth. Walker notched an RBI single for Peoria in the seventh. Alex Isola provided his own run-scoring single during the eighth that put the margin at 8-3 Kernels at that time.

Zach Featherstone (2-2) lost the late five-run lead but ended up as the winning pitcher. Leonardo Taveras (1-4) was saddled with the loss on Keirsey’s walk-off double. The best pitching performance Friday came from Kernels starter Kody Funderburk. He yielded just two unearned runs in a career-high-tying six innings. His outing was his second professional quality start and the second quality start for Cedar Rapids in 2021.

This six-game series continues Saturday at 6:35 p.m. with Cedar Rapids right-hander Jon Olsen (0-3, 3.65) expected to start against Peoria right-hander Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (3-2, 4.93). Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will broadcast this homestand’s penultimate contest on www.kernels.com and MiLB.TV.

Postgame fireworks are scheduled to follow Saturday’s tilt between the Kernels and the Chiefs. Cedar Rapids will have a fireworks show after every Saturday home game throughout the 2021 season.

Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids Kernels home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.