The Cedar Rapids Kernels lost a baseball game Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium, but they can’t say they didn’t have opportunities to do otherwise.

The Peoria Chiefs never trailed to the Kernels in the game, but needed 10 innings to top the Kernels 8-7, in front of a crowd of 1,945. However, the Kernels saw two bases-loaded opportunities erased by inning-ending double plays long before the game ever got to extra frames.

Kernels starting pitcher Christian Powell struggled early, giving up three runs to the Chiefs in the first inning and another run in the second stanza.

But the Kernels struck back in their half of the second with four unearned runs to tie the game at 4-4.

Adam Brett Walker led off the fourth inning for the Kernels by reaching first base on a throwing error by Peoria third baseman Patrick Wisdom. Max Kepler walked and Walker advanced to third on a deep fly ball to right field by Travis Harrison. Jeremias Pineda followed a Joel Licon fly out and a Michael Quesada walk with a single to center field that plated Walker and Kepler. After Jonathan Murphy walked, Jorge Polanco tied the game with a double down the right field line, plating Quesada and Pineda.

The inning ended with both Murphy and Polanco stranded in scoring position.

That pattern, falling behind and coming back to tie, but never lead, repeated itself throughout the game.

The Kernels loaded the bases with no outs in their half of the third inning, but failed to score when a Michael Quesada ground ball ricocheted off pitcher Joe Donofrio straight to shortstop Ildemaro Vargas, who completed an inning-ending double play.

Peoria scored once in the fourth inning and Mike Gonzales, playing his first game before a home crowd since joining the Kernels during last week's road trip, re-tied the game at 5-5 with a fifth inning solo home run in to the picnic area beyond the left field wall.

The Chiefs tallied two more runs in the seventh inning to take a 7-5 lead, only to see the Kernels tie the game up at 7-7 in their half of the seventh. Again, however, the Kernels saw the inning end on a double play with the bases loaded when Joel Lincon's soft line drive doubled Travis Harrison off of first base to end the seventh inning.

The score remained tied through regulation, but the the Kernels' newest pitcher, Brian Gilbert (0-1) gave up a two-out double in the 10th to Chiefs second baseman Jacob Wilson and Wilson scored what would turn out to be the winning run when Jeremy Schaffer followed with an RBI single.

The Kernels moved the potential tying run into scoring position in their half of the 10th inning. Catcher Michael Quesada worked a two-out walk and moved to second base on Jeremias Pineda's infield single, but Pineda was forced out on Jonathan Murphy's ground ball to end the Kernels' rally and the game.

"We battled back, got back in to the game," Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said following the game. "We had bases loaded there in the third (inning) and didn't get anything and bases loaded in the seventh. When we really needed a base hit, we didn't get it."

The same teams play again Thursday night at 6:35 at Perfect Game Field.

PEORIA (8): McElroy, cf, 4 2 1 0, Tilson, lf, 5 1 1 0, Wilson, 2b, 5 2 3 2, Walton, 1b, 4 0 1 1, Schaffer, 1b, 2 0 2 1, Wisdom, 3b, 6 1 1 0, Valera, dh, 4 1 2 1, Martini, rf, 3 0 0 0, Vargas, ss, 4 0 1 1, Velazco, c, 5 1 2 0. Totals 42 8 14 6.

KERNELS (7): Murphy, cf, 5 1 1 0, Polanco, ss, 4 1 2 2, Gonzales, 1b, 4 1 1 1, Walker, rf, 5 1 3 1, Kepler, lf, 3 1 0 0, Harrison, 3b, 4 0 1 1, Licon, 2b, 5 0 0 0, Quesada, c, 3 1 1 0, Grimes, pr, 0 0 0 0, Pineda, dh, 5 1 2 2. Totals 37 7 11 7.

Peoria   310 100 200 1 - 8 14 1
Kernels  040 010 200 0 - 7 11 2

Helisek, Donofrio (3), Tuivailala (6), T.Lee (7), Russell (10) and Velazco. Powell, Boyd (5), Boer (7), Gilbert (9) and Quesada. W-T.Lee (3-1). L-Gilbert (0-1). Sv-Russell (4). 2B-McElroy (4), Velazco (4), Wilson 2 (22), Wisdom (18), Polanco (25). HR-Gonzales (1). S-McElroy. SF-Vargas. SB-Velazco (4), Schaffer (2). E-Wisdom (16), Kepler (3), Licon (5). T-3:49. A-1,945.