Although the air and temperature was cool at Dozer Park this evening, it did not prevent the action from being exciting during Game 1 of the Midwest League (Single-A) Semi-Finals between the Cedar Rapids Kernels and the Peoria Chiefs.

Both teams entered the contest on two-game playoff winning streaks as Cedar Rapids (affiliate of the Minnesota Twins) completed a sweep of Quad Cities on Thursday night while Peoria (affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) downed Kane County.

Since the two squads ranked third and fourth in the league in team ERA, one would have expected tonight's contest, in addition to the whole series, to be a low scoring affair. Yet, after the first inning the Kernels' Keaton Steele and Chiefs' Matt Pearce had both allowed one run. 

Regardless of initial woes, both starters gained comfort on the mound while beginning to show their talent. As a matter of fact, for the next five innings the two permitted only three total hitters to reach base! Could anyone break the tie?

In the seventh inning, after inducing a fly out to LaMonte Wade, the double-digit winner of Peoria seemed to lose his control. From hitting Chris Paul to throwing a wild pitch to advance him to second base, Pearce picked the worse time for his struggles to begin. Former Bradley Brave Max Murphy was at the dish for Cedar Rapids, looking to put his team back on top when the pitcher grooved an offering that caught the middle of the plate. CRACK! Up, up, and away! The 2014 ninth-round pick, who called Peoria his home for three years while playing baseball for Bradley, had given the Kernels a two-run lead.

The Peoria faithful was flabbergasted as their chances of victory had quickly vanished. 

Next up for Cedar Rapids was Brian Navarreto and he blasted a ball high off the left field wall for a double, which ultimately chased starter Matt Pearce from the game. Though the deficit of the Chiefs had a chance to increase, reliever Tyler Bray was able to initiate damage control by getting Austin Diemer to pop out and Rafael Valera to strike out.

Heading into the bottom half of the seventh, Keaton Steele had retired 11 straight batters. Unfortunately for Peoria, his streak did not stop there. St. Louis Cardinals' 16th prospect, Harrison Bader, strike out swinging. Alex De Leon, strike out swinging. Brian O'Keefe, strike out swinging. At the end of the night, Steele sent 17 consecutive Chiefs back to the dugout empty handed while striking out a career-high nine. But, would he be the winning pitcher?

To face Peoria in the bottom of the ninth, manager Jake Mauer decided to give the ball to closer Nick Anderson. This move would prove to be a mistake. 

Drama for the Kernels began immediately as the Chiefs' Kenny Peoples-Walls tripled to lead-off and Darren Seferina drove him home with an RBI single. 3-2 Cedar Rapids. 

After striking out both Oscar Mercado and Paul DeJong,  Harrison Bader was Peoria's last hope. With the tying run at second in the form of Seferina, Anderson and Bader battled back and forth until the latter found himself in a one ball, two-strike hole. With the count being as it was, the reliever was in control since he did not have to throw a strike. Anderson decided to come home with his fastball and blew Bader away to end the game.

While the Kernels survived a ninth inning threat, in the other Midwest League Semi-Final, the Lansing Lugnuts were able to hold off the West Michigan Whitecaps, who plated three runs in the final three innings. In both series', Saturday night's winner will host the remaining two games (Game 3 if necessary).