Six-Run Fourth Powers Peoria to 8-2 Opening Night Win Over Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Peoria Chiefs used a six-run fourth inning to take an 8-0 it would never lose in an 8-2 opening night win over Cedar Rapids Friday.

The Chiefs opened the scoring in the second. With one out, Won-Bin Cho doubled and scored a batter later on a Jalin Flores RBI single to lift Peoria on top 1-0. The next batter, Cade McGee, plated Flores all the way from first with an RBI double to make it 2-0.

Peoria blew it open in the fourth. Cho walked to begin the inning, and after he stole second, he stole third and scored on a McGee single to grow the advantage to 3-0. A José Suárez single then put two on for Tai Peete, who lifted a three-run home run to left to double the Peoria lead to 6-0. After Josh Kross worked a walk, Rainiel Rodriguez blasted the second Chiefs home run of the inning to make it 8-0.

That was plenty of support for Peoria starter Tanner Franklin. Franklin struck out nine across 3.2 innings in his season debut, allowing two runs, one earned, on just one hit.

The Kernels got those runs in the fourth. Eduardo Tait reached on an error to begin the inning and moved to third on a Khadim Diaw double. A Danny De Andrade walk loaded the bases for Jacob McCombs, who was hit by a pitch to force home the first Cedar Rapids run of the season. With the bases still loaded, Caden Kendle walked to bring in another run to cut the deficit to 8-2.

But that would be it for the Cedar Rapids offense. Nolan Sparks came on out of the Peoria bullpen and threw four scoreless innings in his high-A debut. Behind him, D.J. Carpenter pitched a scoreless ninth to lock down the win.

Eli Jones was a bright spot out of the Kernels bullpen in the loss. In his Midwest League debut, Jones threw five scoreless innings in relief, striking out four while allowing just one hit.

The loss marks just the third time in the last 11 seasons the Kernels begin the year 0-1. The season-opening three-game series with Peoria continues Saturday at 1:05. Adrian Bohorquez makes his season debut on the mound opposite Leonel Sequera.