Peoria Explodes Late in 6-2 Triumph

PEORIA, IL – The Chiefs scored four times in the eighth inning Saturday to erase a tie and march past the Cedar Rapids Kernels 6-2 at Dozer Park.

With a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning, Michael Curialle singled and advanced to second on an error. The next batter, Darlin Moquete, lined a soft single into left to give the Chiefs a 3-2 advantage. After a Won-Bin Cho single, Joshua Baez delivered the knockout blow. The Peoria outfielder blasted a 417-foot home run off the batter’s eye to give the Chiefs a convincing 6-2 lead. It was Baez’s fourth homer of the season.

The Chiefs attacked Kernels’ starter Darren Bowen early with a run in the second inning. Curialle blasted a home run on the first pitch of the inning, his fifth blast of the year. Peoria added to their 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. William Sullivan singled and advanced on a groundout. Brody Moore brought him home with a single to make it 2-0.

Peoria starter Inohan Paniagua pitched six innings and gave up one run, a solo shot to Rubel Cespedes. The right-handed pitcher lowered his ERA to 3.44 and his home ERA to 1.67.

In the seventh, the Kernels tied the game at 2-2 with a Jose Salas RBI single. The Chiefs answered with their four-run eighth inning to take the lead 6-2.

Reliever Tyler Bradt earned his second win of the season after he threw 1 ⅔ scoreless frames. Tanner Jacobson closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

Curialle was a triple shy of the cycle after his three hits and two runs scored. Brody Moore was 2-for-4 and William Sullivan was hit three times in the game.

The Chiefs and Kernels will play in the series finale on Sunday night at 6:35 p.m. Left-hander Cooper Hjerpe will start for the Chiefs. Fireworks are scheduled for the 12th and final game of the homestand following the contest.