For six innings Friday night, it looked like the Peoria Chiefs simply had the Kernels number this series. The Chiefs scored single runs in the third and fifth innings and held a 2-0 lead when the 3,746 fans attending the game at Veterans Memorial Stadium stood for the seventh-inning stretch.

By the time the Kernels finished their half of the seventh, however, they held a 6-2 lead over the visiting Chiefs that would also stand as the final score.

Niko Goodrum, Jorge Polanco and Joel Licon all doubled during the stanza, while Mike Gonzales, Travis Harrison and Jonathan Murphy all added singles. It was the kind of timely hitting that the Kernels have been missing this series, as all but one of the six runs the Kernels scored in the inning were plated with two outs.

As a team, the Kernels had four hits in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position.

“That was fun,” observed Manager Jake Mauer. “Watching some of those guys, Licon, Murphy, come up with some big hits. Goodrum, first day back, kind of makes us go a little bit. We made the most of our chances.”

Goodrum had missed the last three games, including the first two games against Peoria, after tweaking a knee last Sunday in a game at Lake County.

Brett Lee started the game for the Kernels. He gave up both Peoria runs after having thrown two straight complete game shutouts in his most recent starts. He gave up just six hits and one walk, while striking out four.

After throwing more than 100 pitches in his last start, however, Mauer said the plan was to limit Lee to about 80 pitches on Friday. After throwing 76 pitches through five innings, his night was over.

Tim Shibuya (1-0) got the win, with two innings of hitless work in relief of Lee. David Hurlbut closed the door on Peoria, also throwing two innings of relief without giving up a hit.

The Kernels open a three-game series with Clinton Saturday at Perfect Game Field. Game time is 6:35.

PEORIA (2): McElroy, rf, 4 0 1 0, Tilson, cf, 4 0 1 1, Wilson, 2b, 3 0 1 1, Schaffer, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Wisdom, dh, 3 0 1 0, Valera, lf, 3 0 0 0, Martin, 3b, 4 0 1 0, Vargas, ss, 4 0 0 0, Velazco, c, 4 2 0 0. Totals 33 2 6 2.

KERNELS (6): Murphy, cf, 4 0 1 2, Goodrum, ss, 4 1 1 0, Polanco, 2b, 4 1 1 1, Gonzales, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Walker, rf, 3 0 1 1, Kepler, lf, 4 1 1 0, Harrison, dh, 3 1 1 0, Quesada, c, 3 1 0 0, Licon, 3b, 3 1 1 2. Totals 32 6 8 6.

Peoria    001 010 000 - 2 6 2
Kernels   000 000 60x - 6 8 2

Perry, Adamek (7) and Velazco. Lee, Shibuya (6), Hurlbut (8) and Quesada. W-Shibuya (1-0). L-Perry (1-1). 2B-Tilson, Wisdom, Schaffer, Wilson, McElroy, Goodrum (18), Polanco (26), Licon (7). SB-Wisdom (4). S-Valera. SF-Walker. E-Martin 2 (2), Goodrum 2 (21). T-2:07. A-3,746.