Peoria Chiefs lose Game 2 of Midwest League baseball playoff series against Cedar Rapids
The Peoria Chiefs will face a winner-take-all situation in their best-of-3 West Division Finals series in the Midwest League playoffs.
The Chiefs were pounded 9-4 by No. 1 seed Cedar Rapids in Game 2 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Thursday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, pushing the series into a 1-1 tie. The decisive Game 3 follows is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Friday in Cedar Rapids.
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The Chiefs upset Cedar Rapids, 4-3, in Game 1 on Tuesday in Peoria to put the team with the best record in the Midwest League (82-50) on the brink of elimination.
But the Kernels blew open the rematch with a six-run fourth inning that knocked Peoria right-handed starter Ian Bedell out of the game as 10 men batted. Bedell allowed five straight hits to open the inning.
Kernels third baseman Jose Salas delivered an RBI double, then DH Jeferson Morales hit a three-run homer to left field to put Cedar Rapids ahead, 4-1.
After a mound visit, Bedell allowed a single over shortstop by left fielder Carson McCusker. The Chiefs brought in 6-foot-5, 225-pound lefty reliever Nathanael Heredia — in his third season with Peoria — and his third pitch was hammered over the left field wall by Noah Miller for a two-run homer and 6-1 lead.
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Cedar Rapids added a solo homer by first baseman Jorel Ortega and a two-run double by McCusker in a seventh inning that saw seven batters get a turn.
The Chiefs picked up two runs in the ninth on RBI singles from pinch-hitter Francisco Hernandez and catcher Jimmy Crooks.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Chiefs lose Game 2 to Cedar Rapids as best-of-3 playoff series slips into tie.
