Chiefs Hold on Amidst Cedar Rapids' Late Surge, Top Kernels 6-5

May 17, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release

Cedar Rapids, IA - Peoria scored four times across the first two innings to take an early lead it would never lose in a 6-5 win over Cedar Rapids Saturday night.

After their offense was quieted on Friday, the Chiefs jumped ahead in the top of the first Saturday. Jon Jon Gazdar worked a leadoff walk, then Joshua Baez followed with a single. Both runners moved up on a groundout, then, with two outs, Ryan Campos singled to score both to grab a 2-0 Peoria lead. Miguel Villarroel then doubled to bring home Campos to make it 3-0.

In the bottom of the first, the Kernels' offense answered back. Kaelen Culpepper led off with a walk, then Kyle DeBarge lined a double into left field. Brandon Winokur then hit an RBI groundout to score Culpepper and make it 3-1. One batter later, Gabriel Gonzalez lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate DeBarge and make it 3-2.

Peoria responded in the top of the second inning on a solo homer from Graysen Tarlow to up the Chiefs' edge to 4-2.

In the Kernels' half of the second, Khadim Diaw tripled to begin the inning and scored a batter later on a sacrifice fly from Jaime Ferrer to make it 4-3.

In the bottom of the third, Cedar Rapids evened things up. DeBarge walked to lead off the inning, then stole second and third. Gonzalez produced his second run of night with another sacrifice fly to bring home DeBarge and make it 4-4.

In the top of the fourth, Peoria got that run back. Johnfrank Salazar led off with a single to right, then moved up to second on a stolen base. Baez lined a single into right to score Salazar and make it 5-4 Chiefs.

Peoria got some breathing room in the top of the sixth. Salazar reached on an error, then stole second. Tarlow singled up the middle to plate the run to up the Peoria lead to 6-4.

In the last of the sixth, the Kernels brought it within one. Kyle Hess walked, Culpepper reached on an error and DeBarge walked to load the bases for Winokur, who worked a walk to force Hess to the plate to make it 6-5.

But that would be it for the Kernels' offense. Cedar Rapids put the tying run into scoring position in each of the final four innings but couldn't break through, and Peoria hung on to take the victory 6-5.

The loss drops the Kernels to 22-15 on the season and 2-3 in the series with Peoria. Cedar Rapids looks to earn a series split on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 with Chase Chaney on the mound opposite Chen-Wei Lin.

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