Kross' go-ahead shot seals series victory
Behind a go-ahead home run from Josh Kross in the eighth inning and a stellar start from Blake Aita, the Chiefs held on to win 5-3 over the Kernels on Sunday night at Dozer Park, securing their fourth straight victory. After dropping the first two contests of the week, Peoria
Behind a go-ahead home run from Josh Kross in the eighth inning and a stellar start from Blake Aita, the Chiefs held on to win 5-3 over the Kernels on Sunday night at Dozer Park, securing their fourth straight victory.
After dropping the first two contests of the week, Peoria won the final four to clinch its second series of the season, both against Cedar Rapids.
In the first, Brandon Winokur hit a sacrifice fly to the right-field corner, scoring Marek Houston to give the Kernels the initial lead for the sixth time this series.
After Cedar Rapids starter Riley Quick struck out five of the first seven batters he faced, the Chiefs answered in the third when Tre Richardson III launched a three-run homer to put Peoria in front, 3-1.
Aita cruised through five innings, allowing just one run on two hits while walking one and striking out seven. After allowing 12 earned runs over 19.1 innings in April, Aita has given up just three earned runs in 18 frames in May.
In the sixth, Chiefs reliever Bobby Olson gave up one run off a Khadim Diaw sacrifice fly to score Quinn McDaniel, cutting the Kernels’ deficit to 3-2.
The Kernels tied the game in the top of the eighth, when Winokur produced his second run of the night on an RBI single that brought McDaniel home off Jawilme Ramirez.
Peoria quickly snatched the lead back in the eighth. After a walk from Jalin Flores, Kross belted his second eighth-inning home run of the week on a two-run shot to put the Chiefs in front 5-3.
Carrying a two-run lead into the ninth, Chiefs reliever Patrick Galle came into the game and endured runners at second and third with two outs. Houston flied out to end the game and Galle earned his second save of the season.
Peoria, now 20-24, travels to Wisconsin for the second time this season for a seven-game series starting Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.
Fans can listen to the hometown call all series long with Larry Larson on PeoriaChiefs.com.
The Chiefs return home on June 2nd to welcome the Beloit Sky Carp. Tickets are available for the six-game homestand and all remaining home games this season at PeoriaChiefs.com.