CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Kernels erased a pair of multi-run deficits Tuesday night but could not erase a third in a series-opening 8-6 loss to Peoria.
To begin the six-game series, the Chiefs got the offense started right away. With two outs in the top of the first inning, Jalin Flores blasted a home run to center field to jump Peoria in front 1-0.
The Chiefs added on in the second. A single and a hit-by-pitch put two on to start the inning for Ian Petrutz, who smashed a three-run home run to right to extend the lead to 4-0.
That stayed the score until the bottom of the sixth. Ross Dunn came out of the Cedar Rapids bullpen and was dominant in his 2026 debut. In his first Kernels appearance since last April, Dunn struck out three across two perfect innings in relief.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cedar Rapids rallied back. Singles from Danny De Andrade and Quinn McDaniel put two on for Dameury Pena, who put the Kernels on the board with an RBI single. The next batter, Henry Kusiak, dropped in a two-run double to pull Cedar Rapids within one at 4-3. Kusiak came home to score a batter later on an Andy Lugo single that followed with an error to tie the game, 4-4.
The two sides went back and forth from there. First in the top of the seventh, a pair of walks put two runners on for Tai Peete, who put the Chiefs back in front 6-4 with a two-run triple.
Then, in the bottom of the inning, an Eduardo Tait single put a runner aboard for De Andrade, who ripped a two-run homer to left to again even the tally, 6-6.
It stayed tied through the ninth until Peoria took the lead again in the top of the tenth. With the extra-inning runner on second, a Flores RBI single pushed the Chiefs ahead 7-6. A batter later, Flores scored all the way from first on a Josh Kross RBI triple to double the lead to 8-6.
In the bottom of the tenth, Cedar Rapids went down in order, and the Chiefs secured the 8-6 win.
The Kernels fall to 38-57 with the loss and to 7-24 in the second half. Game two with Peoria is set for 12:05 Wednesday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium with Kolten Smith on the mound opposite Yhoiker Fajardo.