CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Adrian Bohorquez did not allow a hit across four scoreless innings with six strikeouts, but the Chiefs erased a 4-0 deficit with a five-run seventh inning to best Cedar Rapids 5-4 Thursday night.
After grabbing an early lead Wednesday, the Cedar Rapids offense got off to a fast start again on Thursday. Two pitches into the bottom of the first inning, Jacob McCombs crushed a home run to right to jump the Kernels in front 1-0. After the next batter, Yasser Mercedes doubled, Eduardo Tait doubled the lead to 2-0 with an RBI single. Tait then scored all the way from first on a Danny De Andrade RBI double to grow the advantage to 3-0.
That stayed the score until the sixth. Adrian Bohorquez got the start for Cedar Rapids and was dominant across four innings. The right-hander did not allow a hit and struck out a season-high six. Behind him, Cole Peschl struck out a pair and did not allow a run across two innings out of the Kernels bullpen.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Kernels added on. Walks from Dameury Pena and Miguel Briceno put two on for Andy Lugo, who upped the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single.
In the top of the seventh, Peoria rallied back. Two walks and a catcher’s interference loaded the bases to begin the inning with no one out. The next batter, Luis Pino, put the Chiefs on the board with a sacrifice fly. With two runners on, Jack Gurevitch tied the game on one swing, a three-run home run to left, his third home run in the last two games, to even the game 4-4. Two batters later, Josh Kross put Peoria in front with a solo shot to center field, making it 5-4 Chiefs.
That was the difference in the game. Peoria pitching did not allow a hit the rest of the way, and Jawilme Ramirez posted a six-out save to lock down the 5-4 win.
The loss drops Cedar Rapids to 38-59 on the season and to 7-26 in the second half. The series with the Chiefs continues Friday at 6:35 with Dasan Hill set to take the mound opposite Jack Martinez.