Cedar Rapids Kernels score 6 in 1st inning, still lose to Peoria, 7-6

PEORIA, Ill. — The Cedar Rapids Kernels suffered a crushing defeat Saturday night in their quest to win the Midwest League's first-half Western Division championship.

They scored six times in the top of the first inning but allowed seven unanswered runs to lose to the Peoria Chiefs, 7-6. Peoria has won the first two games of this three-game series to take a 1 1/2-game lead on the Kernels (33-28).

The teams play again Sunday afternoon.

A.J. Murray and Jermaine Palacios had two-run doubles in the first against Peoria starting pitcher Jake Woodford. But Cedar Rapids wouldn't score again.

Peoria (35-27) got back into the game with a five-run fifth inning against Kernels starter Eduardo Del Rosario and reliever Williams Ramirez. Magneuris Sierra had a two-run triple and Chris Chinea a two-run home run.

The Chiefs scored twice in the seventh to win it. Ramirez (0-1) walked Edmundo Sosa with one out, with an errant pickoff attempt then sending him to third.

Ramirez then hit Eliezer Alvarez with a pitch and wild pitched him to second. A Brian O'Keefe single scored Sosa to tie it, with Chinea following with a sacrifice fly to score Alvarez and make it 7-6.