Chiefs Rally Comes up Short Saturday

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA– The Chiefs scored four times in the eighth inning and brought the tying run to the plate before the Cedar Rapids Kernels escaped with a 7-4 win.

The Kernels wasted no time getting started, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning off of Peoria starter Hancel Rincon. Cedar Rapids cashed in a double and a walk with a Danny De Andrade single to make it 1-0. A Jose Salas RBI on a fielder’s choice pushed the lead to 2-0.

An inning later, the Kernels again cashed in a lead-off double. Luke Keaschall fought off an inside pitch and floated a soft line drive into right field, bolstering the Cedar Rapids lead to 3-0

Offensively, the Chiefs bats were silenced for much of the night. Peoria struggled to find answers against Cedar Rapids starter Darren Bowen. The Kernels right-hander allowed just one hit over 5 ⅔ innings.

Rincon, too, pitched into the sixth inning on Saturday. He departed with one out in the inning and gave way to Nathanael Heredia with runners at second and third. Heredia, who has been sharp in 2024, uncorked a pair of wild pitches, giving the Kernels a 5-0 lead.

Cedar Rapids played add on in the seventh against Chiefs starter Roy Garcia. Agustin Ruiz launched a two-run homer over the wall in right, giving the Kernels a 7-0 lead.

With still just one hit on the night, Joshua Baez led off the eighth with Peoria’s second knock. An error and a walk later loaded the bases for Leonardo Bernal, who singled in a pair to cut the deficit to 7-2. The next batter, Dakota Harris, singled in a run on a comebacker to the mound that deflected off of Kernels pitcher Juan Mendez. An Osvaldo Tovalin RBI hit later made the score 7-4. With two outs in the inning, Anyelo Encarnacion faced newly-entered hurler Gabriel Yanez. Encarnacion flied out to the warning track in right field, missing a home run by a few feet to end the rally.

Peoria could not restart the offense in the ninth inning before dropping their 14th game in their last 17 tries. Yanez earned a four-out save to secure the win for Bowen, his second of the year. Rincon took the loss for the Chiefs.

The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Brycen Mautz will make his second start of the series for Peoria.