Peete, Rodriguez homer; Franklin punches out nine in season opening win

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Peoria Chiefs opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion, using home runs from Tai Peete and Rainiel Rodrgiuez, plus a nine-strikeout start from Tanner Franklin, to defeat Cedar Rapids 8-2 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

The Opening night victory is the second for Peoria since the start of the High-A era (2021).

Franklin seized the Opening Night spotlight out of the gate, striking out six of the first seven batters he faced.

His offense backed him up with the first runs of the season in the top of the second. Won-Bin Cho poked an opposite field double and then stole third base to set up a Jalin Flores RBI single. Cade McGee followed with an RBI double into the left center field gap to open a 2-0 Chiefs lead.

Peoria’s bats busted the game open in the top of the fourth. After a Cho single and two more stolen bases, McGee drove him home with an RBI single, which chased Twins No. 6 prospect Dasan Hill after just 3.1 innings.

Following a Jose Suarez single, Peete popped a high-flying, opposite-field, three-run home run for his first hit in the Cardinals organization to swell the advantage to 6-0.

Josh Kross extended the frame with a walk, and Rodriguez, the Cardinals’ No. 3 prospect, capitalized, smoking a majestic two-run homer over the left field seats for his first High-A bomb to make it a 6-run frame and 8-0 Peoria lead.

After facing one over the minimum through three innings, Franklin ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with no outs. The righthander bounced back with a strikeout before hitting Jacob McCombs to break up the shutout.

Franklin ended his outing on a high note, setting down Jay Thomason swinging for his ninth strikeout before being removed.

Sam Brodersen intertied the bases-loaded, two-out situation and walked Caden Kendle to cut the lead to 8-2, but prevented any further rally by striking out Jamie Ferrer.

Both bullpens quieted the game down, as the two teams combined for two hits in the final five innings of the contest.

Nolan Sparks earned the win for the Chiefs in his High-A debut, hurling four shutout innings, striking out four Kernels while allowing just one hit. Cedar Rapids’ Eli Jones performed similarly, turning in five shutout, hitless innings to silence the Chiefs’ bats in the closing stages.

The three-game, season-opening series continues Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm. Fans can listen to the hometown call for free online on PeoriaChiefs.com.