Chiefs Plate Four in the Eighth, Rally Past Kernels

PEORIA, IL – Riding the wave of four consecutive hits, the Chiefs scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning to storm past the Cedar Rapids Kernels 7-5 on Tuesday.

Trailing 5-3 to begin the inning, Miguel Villarroel singled off of Kernels reliever Gabriel Yanez to force his departure from the game. Cedar Rapids turned to Nolan Santos to keep the Kernels lead at two. Santos faced Darlin Moquete who recorded a bunt single to put runners on first and second with no one out. Then, Chase Davis extended his High-A on-base streak in a big way, doubling into the right field corner to score Villarroel and cut the deficit to 5-4. After a Santos wild pitch tied the game, Leonardo Bernal delivered the big blow. His timely RBI single plated Davis and gave Peoria their first lead of the night, 6-5. A Trey Paige RBI double completed the scoring and created the final margin.

For Peoria, the victory tied their largest come-from-behind win this season, after trailing by as many as three runs.

Tuesday’s ninth inning didn’t go off without a little drama. After a lead-off single, Kernels third baseman Rubel Cespedes appeared to hit a ground ball through the right side of the diamond. Chiefs second baseman Tre Richardson made a diving, sprawling stop to retire Cespedes at first. On the play, Gabriel Gonzalez rounded second and attempted to advance to third, where he was thrown out by Johnfrank Salazar. A Kevin Maitan strikeout later ended the contest.

Cedar Rapids held leads of 2-0 and 4-1 in Tuesday’s tilt. Three batters into the game, Cespedes doubled home Twins 2023 first-round pick Walker Jenkins to make it 1-0. Then, a Poncho Ruiz single scored Cespedes to make it 2-0.

After a Peoria run cut the lead to 2-1, the Kernels tacked on two more runs in the top of the fourth. Jenkins collected his second double of the night and brought home Nick Lucky and Misael Urbina to extend the lead to 4-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, Peoria answered right away, getting the two runs right back. Paige, who finished with three hits, singled home a run to make it 4-2. Later in the frame, Salazar recorded his second RBI of the night with a sac fly.

Cedar Rapids had a chance to break the game open in the eighth but could only scratch one run. The Kernels put runners at first and second with one out in the inning, forcing the Chiefs to turn to Tyler Bradt. Bradt allowed an inherited runner to score on an Urbina single, but he then retired Jose Salas and Jenkins to ultimately set up the Peoria rally. Bradt went on to earn the win.

Both starters logged five innings on Tuesday. Chiefs starter Darlin Saladin surrendered four runs on seven hits. Kernels starter Jeremy Lee gave up three runs on five Peoria hits. Neither pitcher factored in the decisions.

With the win, the Chiefs leapfrogged the Kernels in the standings and currently hold the Midwest League West Division’s second-half playoff spot.

Game two of the series is set for Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.