Chiefs Win Wednesday

Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs held off the Cedar Rapids Kernels for a 4-3 victory in the series opener on Wednesday night. The Chiefs improved to 23-14 in the second half and 62-45 overall with the second game of the series set for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.

     The Chiefs jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first against Kernels starter Tyler Watson. Walks from Nick Plummer and Dennis Ortega plus a wild pitch put both runners in scoring position. With one out, Yariel Gonzalez drove home Plummer on a sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 advantage. Zach Kirtley and Wood Myers both drew walks to load the bases. JR Davis doubled to the gap in left center to plate Ortega and Kirtley for a 3-0 lead.
     Cedar Rapids answered in the top of the second on Chiefs starter Alvaro Seijas. Ben Rodriguez blasted a one-out solo homer 439 feet over the left field wall for the longest home run at Dozer Park this season. Jacob Pearson walked and Andrew Bechtold singled to put two runners on. Trey Cabbage scored Pearson on a ground rule double to trim the deficit to 3-2.
     Elehuris Montero helped widen the lead in the bottom of the fifth against Derek Molina. Dennis Ortega singled with one out and Montero drove him on a double down the right field line for a 4-2 advantage.
     Another Rodriguez shot helped the Kernels stay in it against Thomas St. Clair. Rodriguez lifted his second home run of the game over the wall in left center as the gap narrowed to one run again at 4-3.
     Seijas (4-6) earned the win throwing six innings allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. St. Clair pitched 1 2/3 innings allowing one run on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts. Kodi Whitley earned the save throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings allowing one hit with one walk and three strikeouts.
Notes… Montero has five straight games with a double…Gonzalez had his 10-game hit streak snap….Myers had his six-game hit streak end…Thomas St. Clair returned to Peoria from advanced-A Palm Beach...The Chiefs starting pitcher has gone at least five innings in 20 straight games…Peoria is 56-11 when allowing four runs or less...Peoria has the best home record in the MWL at 34-20…The Chiefs have played in three straight one-run games and are 21-13 in one-run games this season...Peoria was outhit 6-4...The series continues on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. against Cedar Rapids with post-game fireworks…Kolten Wong will rehab with the Chiefs on Thursday…Thursday is a Baumgarten Distributing Beer & Brat Thirsty Thursday featuring $2 12 ounce domestic cans and soda, $3 16 ounce craft drafts and margaritas, and $3 brats…Students with a valid college ID can purchase $5 Lawn seats…Thursday is also a Taco Bell Live Mas Thursday as fans can show a Taco Bell receipt within the last seven days to receive a buy one, get one free ticket, limit four free tickets per transaction…The Chiefs will start LH Jake Dahlberg (0-0, 0.00) against Kernels RH Randy Dobnak (7-3, 3.53)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:45 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network on the Tune-In Radio App.