Rodriguez's Two-Homer Game Not Enough

PEORIA, ILL. - Ben Rodriguez carried the Cedar Rapids Kernels with his first professional multi-homer game Wednesday, but the Peoria Chiefs held on for a 4-3 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Dozer Park. Peoria (23-14, 62-45) scored runs in the first inning and kept the lead throughout Wednesday's tilt with Cedar Rapids (27-12, 59-49).
The Chiefs secured a 3-0 advantage in first inning despite tallying just one hit. Nick Plummer and Dennis Ortega each drew walks and moved up on a wild pitch. Yariel Gonzalez drove in Plummer with a sacrifice fly to open the scoring. Following walks by Zach Kirtley and Wood Myers, J.R. Davis hit a two-run double that plated Ortega and Kirtley.

Rodriguez helped Cedar Rapids close the gap to 3-2 during the second inning. Rodriguez launched a 439-foot solo shot to left field to put the Kernels on the scoreboard. Later in the frame, Trey Cabbage produced an automatic double that bounced over the wall in left-center field to bring in Jacob Pearson.
Elehuris Montero came through by driving in a critical insurance run within the fifth. Ortega received a one-out walk and scored from first base on Montero's double down the right-field line that stretched Peoria's lead to 4-2.
Another solo home run by Rodriguez in the eighth pushed the Kernels within one run at 4-3, but Cedar Rapids was unable to tie the score. In the ninth inning, a two-out walk by Michael Davis and a single from Akil Baddoo put the potential game-tying and go-ahead runs aboard before a strikeout ended the contest.
Alvaro Seijas (4-6) only gave up two runs over six innings within a quality start to pick up the win. Tyler Watson (4-5) allowed three runs and four walks in a 36-pitch first inning and took the loss. Thomas St. Clair was credited with his third hold of the season after protecting Peoria's lead into the eighth. Kodi Whitley earned his team-high seventh save with scoreless work to close the eighth and ninth innings.
Game two of this three-game series will be played at 7:00 p.m. Thursday. Kernels right-hander Randy Dobnak (7-3, 3.53) is scheduled to face Chiefs left-hander Jake Dahlberg (0-0, -.--). Chris Kleinhans-Schulz will cover the action on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and also online at www.kmryradio.com and www.kernels.com.
Cedar Rapids' final 15 home games of the regular season are coming up in August. Fans can purchase tickets for all Cedar Rapids home games by visiting www.kernels.com, going to the Kernels Ticket Office, or calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Sundays when the Kernels have a home game, the Kernels Ticket Office will open at 11:00 a.m.