By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs and Cedar Rapids Kernels split a doubleheader on Tuesday with the Chiefs winning game one 10-1 and the Kernels taking game two 7-2. The split leaves the Chiefs at 25-25 in the second half and 65-55 overall with two games left on the homestand.
The Chiefs started game one with a four run first inning against Sam Gibbons. Magneuris Sierra reached on a wild pitch while striking out and moved to second on a single by Jose Martinez. Both runners moved up on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly from Eli Alvarez gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. Brian O’Keefe’s sacrifice fly put the Chiefs on top 2-0 before Chris Chinea singled. Leo Pina unloaded on a Gibbons offering for his fifth home run of the season for a 4-0 lead.
The Chiefs added a run in the third on a sacrifice fly from Chinea then put the game out of reach in the fifth. Martinez walked, Alvarez singled and O’Keefe walked to load the bases. Consecutive RBI groundouts from Chinea and Pina gave the Chiefs a 7-0 lead and chased Gibbons from the game. RJ Dennard greeted reliever Max Cordy with a RBI single for an 8-0 lead.
Both teams scored in their final at bat. Sierra singled with one out and moved to second on a single by Martinez. With two down and the bases loaded, Chinea doubled to right for a 10-0 Chiefs lead as Sierra and Martinez scored. The Kernels grabbed a run with two outs in the seventh against Nick Frey to avoid the shutout.
Jake Woodford (5-5) earned the win with five shutout innings as he allowed four hits and one walk while striking out two. Frey allowed one run on two hits over two innings with one strikeout.
The Chiefs started game two with an early lead as well. With two outs in the second inning, Jose Godoy singled off Brady Anderson and Carlos Torres tripled off the top of the left-field wall for a 1-0 lead.
The lead held until the fourth when Zander Wiel drew a leadoff walk and Travis Blakenhoorn crushed a two-out home run into the left-field berm for a 2-1 Kernels lead. Williams walked two straight batters with one out in the fifth inning. Wiel tripled over the head of Sierra to score both runners for a 4-1 Kernels lead. Wiel scored on a wild pitch and Luis Arraez singled to center. Josh Wirsu took over for Williams the Kernels extended to a 6-2 lead with two more hits.
Just as in game one, both teams scored in their final at-bat. Cedar Rapids got a RBI single from Jaylin Davis with one out in the top of the inning against Bob Wheatley. The Chiefs loaded the bases against Williams Ramirez in the bottom of the inning and Godoy scored on an infield single by Craig Aikin. The game ended with a comebacker to the mound by Sierra with the bases left loaded.
Williams (1-1) took the loss allowing six runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked four, struck out six and allowed a home run. Wirsu allowed two hits and struck out three over 1 1/3 shutout innings. Wheatley allowed one run on three hits over one inning.
