Chiefs Club Six Home Runs in Offensive Slugfest, Win 14-10
Published on July 24, 2022 under Midwest League (MWL)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Chiefs followed up a series-opening win with another victory on Saturday, blasting six home runs to win 14-10 and capture their second win in as many nights over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. With the victory, Peoria secured a series win and is now 2-0 coming out of the All-Star break.
After a scoreless first inning, Peoria drew first blood on a throwing error from Kernels catcher Jeferson Morales, who sailed a throw down the right field line to allow Osvaldo Tovalin an avenue to the plate and make it 1-0 Chiefs. A couple batters later, Tommy Jew sent a no-doubter over the wall in left to finish off the inning with Peoria up 3-0. In the bottom of the inning, Cedar Rapids got one back on a solo shot from Yunior Severino to cut the lead down to 3-1.
In the third, the Peoria power surge continued when Tyler Reichenborn dug in. Reichenborn, who celebrated his 24th birthday Saturday, mashed a grand slam to give the Chiefs a 7-1 edge after two-and-a-half frames. The Kernels did get one back with a solo home run courtesy of Morales in the bottom of the frame.
With the score 7-2 in the fourth, Jacob Buchberger sent a fly ball that ricocheted off the left field wall for an RBI triple that plated Brady Whalen to push Peoria in front 8-2. Peoria's offense went scoreless for the next three innings, while Cedar Rapids scratched runs across in each of the five remaining innings in the ballgame, but it still wasn't enough to overcome the Chiefs offensive explosion.
A sac fly from Will Holland in the fifth made it 8-3, then Severino struck again, driving in a pair of Kernels runs on a triple into the gap that made it a three-run ballgame at 8-5. Cedar Rapids continued their furious comeback effort in the seventh on back-to-back RBI knocks from Alerick Soularie and Seth Gray that sliced the Chiefs lead down to one.
Leading 8-7 entering the eighth and needing some insurance to create some separation, they got it from Luis Rodriguez. The catcher launched a two-run jack, his first of the season, to give Peoria some breathing room at 10-7. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed Tommy Jew to score and the Chiefs held an 11-7 lead going to the bottom of the inning. Just as they had each of the previous three innings, the Kernels answered with a sac-fly as Morales made it an 11-8 score.
In the ninth, the Chiefs made sure there was little doubt about the outcome of the contest. LJ Jones roped one to left for his ninth round-tripper of the campaign, then Osvaldo Tovalin lifted one to right field, going back-to-back with Jones to make it a 13-8 score. Francisco Hernandez got an opportunity and sent a ball into orbit and out of the ballpark entirely, finishing off the night at the plate with a bang, making it a 14-8 game headed to the bottom of the ninth.
Levi Prater recorded two quick outs and the Chiefs were in line for a quick escape, but Cedar Rapids did not go without a fight, as Gray singled, then Aaron Sabato broke his 0-for-4 evening with a two-run homer to make it a 14-10 game. That was as close as the Kernels got, as a strikeout of Jake Rucker ended the night with the Chiefs on the plus side.
The win gives Peoria their first series win over their division rivals since June of 2018, and their fourth in the 2022 season series. Peoria eyes a sweep tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m. CST.
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