Peoria, IL – The Peoria Chiefs surrendered a 4-0 lead in the final three innings in a 9-5 loss to the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Thursday night. The loss, their fifth in a row, drops the Chiefs to 1-5 on the season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers coming to Dozer Park for a three game series starting Friday night.
The Chiefs scored first in the top of the second inning against Kernels starter Nick Brown. Elehuris Montero doubled to right-center and Dylan Carlson brought him home on a double to the right-field corner putting the Chiefs up 1-0.
Peoria added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth against Brown. Yariel Gonzalez hit a lea -off double and Montero plated him on a ground ball single to right field for a 2-0 Chiefs advantage. Carlson walked and Bryce Denton reached on an infield single to load the bases. Julio Rodriguez recorded his first hit of the season with a single up the middle scoring Montero and Carlson to widen the Chiefs lead to 4-0.
Cedar Rapids clawed back in the top of the sixth against Jake Walsh. Mark Contreras laced a lead off single Akil Baddoo singled moving Contreras to third. Baddoo stole second before Royce Lewis hit a three-run homer to left cutting the Chiefs lead to 4-3.
The Kernels took their first lead of the night in the top of the seventh against Chiefs reliever Fabian Blanco. With two outs, Contreras and Jordan Gore both drew walks. Baddoo tripled to the center field wall to give the Kernels a 5-4 lead.
The Chiefs answered in the bottom of the seventh inning against Cedar Rapids reliever Kevin Marnon. Lopez led off with a single and with two down, Montero walked. Carlson came through again with a hard hit ball that bounced off the second base bag into shallow center scoring Lopez to tie the game 5-5.
Cedar Rapids broke through again in the top of the eighth inning. Kirilloff got things started with a double before Carrier and Miranda walked to load the bases. Peoria reliever Thomas St. Clair struck out Rodriguez for the first out of the frame. Banuelos grounded to third and a throwing error by Montero scored Kirilloff and Carrier for a 7-5 Kernels lead. Contreras added on with a double scoring Miranda and Banuelos to give Cedar Rapids a 9-5 lead.
The Chiefs attempted to rally down by four in the bottom of the ninth against Jared Finkel. After a Lopez groundout, Bryant singled and Gonzalez lined out to shortstop. Montero cranked his second double of the game and Carlson walked to load up the bases and bring up the tying run. Pinch hitter Juan Yepez struck out looking to end the game.
Walsh received a no-decision in the start going 5 1/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits, no walks and one strikeout while allowing one homer. Blanco allowed two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings with two walks and no strikeouts. St. Clair (0-1) took the loss surrendering four runs, three earned in one inning of work. The righty struck out two and walked two. Levi MaVorhis threw 1 1/3 innings and did not allow any runs on one hit with one strikeout.
