MWL Cedar Rapids Kernels

Morales and Camargo Each Walk off Peoria for Doubleheader Sweep

Published on April 22, 2022 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - The Cedar Rapids Kernels walked off the Peoria Chiefs twice on Thursday evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium, 3-2 in game one and 4-3 in the doubleheader's nightcap. With the two wins, the Kernels remain a full game up in the West Division standings and hold the best record in the Midwest League at 10-2.

Game One - Kernels 3, Chiefs 2 (Final/8)

A stellar pitching matchup between Sean Mooney and the Chiefs' Michael McGreevy certainly delivered, as Mooney tossed 5.0 innings of four-hit, two-walk baseball and allowed just a lone run with a pair of punchouts. His counterpart went 6.0 frames of one-run ball.

Cedar Rapids struck first as Jeferson Morales doubled in the first then scored on a Seth Gray RBI single ripped into right. Peoria plated a run in the third and both starters dealt the rest of the way, sending the game to extras deadlocked at 1-1.

The Chiefs plated a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly. After the tiebreaking runner was cut down at home plate to put men on first and second with one away, a wild pitch moved both Willie Joe Garry Jr. and Anthony Prato in scoring position. Christian Encarnacion-Strand grounded a ball to third, drawing a throw home that Garry Jr. beat with a headfirst slide to tie things at two. Two pitches later, Morales blasted a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Prato for the walk-off winner.

Denny Bentley worked a pair of scoreless innings while Melvi Acosta earned the win for Cedar Rapids.

Game Two - Kernels 4, Chiefs 3 (Final/8)

Another fantastic pitching duel set the stage for a thrilling finish in the nightcap as Casey Legumina battled Gordon Graceffo. Legumina struck out three and walked one, allowing just two runs on five hits over 4.2 innings of work.

Peoria opened the scoring in the fifth with a pair of runs. The Kernels responded two innings later as Morales plated Prato with an RBI groundout, sending the game to the seventh with Cedar Rapids trailing 2-1. Back-to-back strikeouts opened the frame, then Will Holland floated a two-strike pitch down the rightfield line to reach on his second hit of the day. He took second on a wild pitch, then Garry Jr. won an extraordinary eight-pitch battle to rip a game-tying single back up the middle.

Peoria plated a run in the top of the eighth just as they did in the first game. Encarnacion-Strand capped a three-hit game with a single back up the middle to put men on the corners with none away, then Morales played hero again by plating Prato with a fielder's choice. Jair Camargo sealed the doubleheader sweep with a towering blast off the wall in right field, scoring Morales from first for the walk-off winner.

Bobby Milacki earned the win in relief while Derek Molina and Matt Mullenbach combined for 2.1 scoreless innings with a punchout a piece.

Game four of the series is set for Friday evening at Veterans Memorial Stadium with a 6:35 p.m. start.

Check out the Cedar Rapids Kernels Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 22, 2022


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