PEORIA, Ill - The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored three runs in the first inning and it proved to be enough as the Kernels downed the Peoria Chiefs, 3-2, Thursday night before 2,884 fans at Dozer Park.

The Kernels (25-16) opened the scoring in the top of the first against Chiefs righty Matt Pearce. Tanner English and Blake Schmit reached base on back-to-back walks. Two batters later Max Murphy walked to load the bases and English scored on a sacrifice fly from Zack Larson to make it 1-0. T.J. White tripled past a diving Collin Radack to drive in Schmit and Murphy for the 3-0 Kernels lead.

Cedar Rapids managed just three hits in the game, but still found a way to win.

The Chiefs got on the board against Kernels starter Felix Jorge in the bottom of the second. Alex DeLeon came up with two outs and blasted a solo home run over the left field wall to make it 3-1. The home run is DeLeon's second of the season and gives him 11 RBI so far this year.

Peoria got another run back in the bottom of the fourth. Danny Diekroeger led off with a double deep to left and moved to third on a groundout by Radack. Diekroeger scored on a hard-hit groundout by Steve Bean to make the score 3-2.

The Chiefs left the tying run at second in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. The game ended with pinch runner Oscar Mercado caught stealing second.

Jorge (2-2) got the win for the Kernels, pitching six innings, allowing just two runs. Cameron Booser survived the ninth for his fourth save.

KERNELS (3): English, cf, 3 1 1 0, Schmit, ss, 3 1 0 0, Vavra, lf, 4 0 0 0, Murphy, dh, 3 1 0 0, Larson, rf, 2 0 0 1, White, 3b, 3 0 1 2, Doe, c, 3 0 0 0, Kuresa, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Kelly, 2b, 3 0 1 0. Totals 28 3 3 3.

PEORIA (2): Ringo, dh, 4 0 0 0, Drake, lf, 3 0 0 0, Diekroeger, 3b, 4 1 1 1, Radack, rf, 4 0 0 0, Bean, c, 3 0 0 0, Thompson, ph, 1 0 0 0, De Leon, 1b, 3 1 1 1, Mercado, pr, 0 0 0 0, Sierra, cf, 3 0 1 0, Sohn, ss, 3 0 0 0, Turgeon, 2b, 2 0 0 0. Totals 30 2 3 2.

Kernels     300 000 000 - 3 3 1
Peoria      010 100 000 - 2 3 2

Jorge, Hildenberger (7), Booser (8) and Doe. Pearce, Villegas (6), Polanco (8) and Bean. WP - Jorge (2-2). LP - Pearce (3-3). Sv - Booser (4). E - Doe (1), Pearce (2), Villegas (1). HR - DeLeon (2), 3B - White (3), Sierra (3). 2B - Diekroeger (10). SB - White (6), Turgeon (1), Sohn (8). T - 2:30. A - 2,884.