By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs gave up six runs in the second inning and eventually lost 7-3 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels Sunday.
The loss drops the Chiefs to 38-24 in the second half and 71-58 overall with five games remaining on the current homestand.
The Kernels started the scoring in the second against Chiefs starter Landon Beck. T.J. White and Max Murphy opened the inning with back-to-back singles and each advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch before scoring on a single by Alex Real for the 2-0 lead. After back-to-back strikeouts Real scored on a double by Austin Diemer and Diemer scored when Rafael Valera reached on a Darren Seferina error to make it 4-0. Valera scored on a triple by Nick Gordon and Gordon scored on a wild pitch for the 6-0 Kernels lead.
The Chiefs scored a pair in the bottom of the second against Kernels starter Keaton Steele. Alex DeLeon led off with a single and he was along for the ride when Brian O’Keefe blasted a home run to left to cut the Kernels lead to 6-2.
The Kernels extended their lead in the third with one swing of the bat. T.J. White led off with a home run to left for the 7-2 lead.
The Chiefs got a run back in the bottom of the seventh. Paul DeJong led off with a double and scored on a double by O’Keefe to cut the Cedar Rapids lead to 7-3.
Beck (0-2) started and took the loss, allowing seven runs, four earned, on 11 hits and one walk over 6 1/3 innings, striking out six. Tyler Bray pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings of relief, walking one and striking out three. Kyle Grana pitched a perfect inning, striking out one.
