Chiefs Hang on Late, Top Kernels 3-2

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Peoria escaped a pair of bases-loaded jams and left runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth to hold on Sunday afternoon in a 3-2 win over Cedar Rapids.

The Kernels opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. Danny De Andrade doubled to begin the inning, and after a Jayson Bass single moved him to third, he scored on a Jose Salas sacrifice fly to put Cedar Rapids in front 1-0.

The Chiefs responded in the top of the fourth. Two walks and a Michael Dattalo single loaded the bases with no one out. An Anyelo Encarnacion walk tied the game at 1-1 before a Chase Heath sacrifice fly and a Cameron Nickens RBI single combined to put Peoria in front 3-1.

That stayed the score all the way until the bottom of the eighth. The Cedar Rapids bullpen, combined between Cole Peschl, Yehizon Sanchez and Brian Zeldin, did not allow a run across the game’s final 5.2 innings, posting seven strikeouts while surrendering just one hit.

In the bottom of the eighth, Andy Lugo smoked a one-out double and scored a batter later on a Graham Brown RBI two-base hit to trim the deficit to 3-2.

Cedar Rapids tried to continue the rally in the bottom of the ninth. Eduardo Tait singled to start the inning, and behind him, Yasser Mercedes smashed a double to put runners on second and third with no one out. But Peoria’s Ruben Menes battled to escape the inning unscathed and preserve the 3-2 win.

With the loss, the Kernels fall to 38-62 on the season. Cedar Rapids hits the road Tuesday to start a six-game series at South Bend. Both starters for Tuesday night at 6:05 are TBD.