Kernels Late Rally Falls Short, Peoria Takes Game One of the West Division Championship Series 4-3
Peoria, IL – With the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, Emmanuel Rodriguez grounded out to first base as Peoria hung on to take game one of the West Division Championship Series over Cedar Rapids 4-3. After the Kernels scored first in the final three games of
Peoria, IL – With the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, Emmanuel Rodriguez grounded out to first base as Peoria hung on to take game one of the West Division Championship Series over Cedar Rapids 4-3.
After the Kernels scored first in the final three games of the regular season, Cedar Rapids again struck first on Tuesday. In the top of the second, Andrew Cossetti walked to begin the frame, then a Luke Keaschall hit by a pitch, and Noah Cardenas walk loaded the bases for Jose Salas, who gave the Kernels the early 1-0 lead with a fielder’s choice.
That 1-0 score stayed until the bottom of the third inning. To lead off the frame, Darlin Moquete crushed a solo home run over the wall in left field to tie the score at 1-1.
In the fourth, Peoria grabbed the lead it would never lose. After a fly out to begin the inning, singles by Alex Iadisernia and Chris Rotondo put runners on for Osvaldo Tovalin, who singled to lift the Chiefs ahead 2-1.
In the fifth, after two quick outs to begin the inning, Jimmy Crooks reached on an infield single to extend the inning to Ramon Mendoza, who smashed a two-run home run to extend the Peoria lead to 4-1.
Down by two in the top of the eighth, Cedar Rapids struck back. With one out in the inning, Noah Miller ripped a single to get on for Kala’i Rosario, who crushed a two-run home run on a line drive to center field to cut the Peoria lead to just one at 4-3.
Down to their final three outs in the top of the ninth inning, Keaschall and Noah Cardenas walked to begin the inning. After two strikeouts, left the two runners on with two outs, Miller reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases of Rodriguez, who grounded out to end the game as Peoria hung on to take game one of the West Division Championship Series 4-3.
The win for Peoria makes the Chiefs one win away from the Midwest League Championship Series as the Kernels now face elimination, needing to win the final two games of the series to advance. Game two of the series is Thursday at 6:35 with Cory Lewis on the mound opposite Ian Bedell.