Hernandez walks it off after Chiefs blow four-run lead in the ninth

After the Chiefs blew a four-run lead in the top of the ninth inning , Sammy Hernandez played hero in the bottom half, blasting a two-run walk-off homer to give Peoria an 8-6 victory over Quad Cities on Friday night at Dozer Park

Hernandez’s game-winning homer was the Chiefs’ second walk-off bomb of the season and first since Jalin Flores did it on June 6.

With the win, Peoria snapped a three-game skid and improved to 20-19 in the second half.

In the second, Peoria starter Cade Crossland recorded his first High-A strikeout before Yordalin Peña gave the Chiefs their first lead of the series with an RBI single.

Quad Cities evened things up in the third inning on a Jose Cerice RBI base hit.

Peoria regained the lead in the home half when Hernandez, who led off the inning with a walk, scored after Josh Kross grounded into a fielder’s choice. Michael Dattalo followed with a double before Ian Petrutz drove in two with a two-bagger to make it 4-1.

Crossland tossed four innings, allowing one run on two hits while walking two and striking out four.

River Bandits starter David Shields allowed four runs, only one earned, on six hits while striking out nine and walking one.

In the sixth, Quad Cities loaded the bases before Nate Dohm walked in Hyungchan Um to cut the lead to 4-2.

The Chiefs got that run back in the bottom half when Tristan Bissetta went deep for his first professional hit in his first professional game, giving them a 5-2 advantage.

Flores launched Peoria’s second homer of the night with a two-out smash to left field, extending its lead to 6-2.

With a four-run lead in the ninth, Patrick Galle gave up two singles before Blake Mitchell struck out and was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Cerice then doubled home Gonzalez before Derlin Figueroa ripped a two-run double into the right-field corner to cut Quad Cities’ deficit to 6-5.

Down to its final out with the tying run on third, Quad Cities tied the game when Tyriq Kemp hit a ground ball to shortstop Flores, who couldn’t field it cleanly, allowing Figueroa to score on the error and make it 6-6.

Bobby Olsen struck out Ben North to end the top of the ninth.

Peña walked to begin the bottom of the ninth before Hernandez ripped a one-out, two-run walk-off home run to left field, securing the Chiefs' first win of the series.

Peoria aims to make it consecutive wins Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

The first 1,000 fans to enter Dozer Park can take home an Alec Burleson bobblehead, celebrating last year’s Silver Slugger Award winner. Burleson hit four home runs in 11 games with the Chiefs in 2021 before reaching the Cardinals the following year. Hang out with your favorite superheroes while the Chiefs take the field wearing alternate jerseys and hats in celebration of Peoria’s Hispanic community. Cap off the night with postgame fireworks.

Tickets are available to purchase at PeoriaChiefs.com or at the Dozer Park box office.

Fans can watch the game on MiLB.TV and the Bally Sports Live app or listen on PeoriaChiefs.com.