Road Trip: Checking out Peoria Chiefs and getting a walk-off win 5-8-26

Sally Tippett Rains

We’re  in Peoria to check in on the Peoria Chiefs, the  Cardinals High A team playing the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, and we got a good game. The Chiefs rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull off a 7-6 walk-off victory. Rainiel Rodriguez drove in four of the runs with a pair of two-run singles including one in the ninth inning rally.

Peoria is the closest minor league affiliate for the Cardinals. It’s only 2 1/2 hours, straight up highway 55.

It’s always great to get to the various minor league clubs so we can check out the young talent.

Rob Rains got the opportunity to sit down with the Peoria Manager, Roberto Espinosa, shown in the photo, right. They talked about the team , some about Rodriguez and they mostly talked about Tai Peete who he is doing a feature story on.  We’ll have that here on STL Sports Page in the coming days.

The Chiefs played the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in a 6:35 game. Jhoiker Fajardo was the starting pitcher.  He worked five innings allowing one run on three hits. He did not walk a batter and he struck out seven.

Fajardo has been traded in each of the last two Decembers. He was originally signed by the White So as an international free agent in Feb. 2024. His holiday gift ended up being traded to the Red Sox and then in Dec. 2026 he was traded to the Cardinals in the Willson Contreras trade. If you are wondering about his name, the Chiefs say he is the only Jhoiker on record to ever play affiliated professional baseball.

The photo, at the top of this article shows Fajardo pitching to Rodriguez.

We’ll also be her for the Friday May 8 game with the  first pitch at 6:35 PM CT.

Over the years, the Peoria Chiefs have served as a launching pad for several current and former Cardinals greats. Stars like Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, Jordan Walker, and Lars Nootbaar all sharpened their skills in Peoria before making it to St. Louis.

This season, the Chiefs’ roster is once again loaded with top talent from the Cardinals’ farm system.  Some of the players we are watching in Peoria are: Rodriguez who is off to a great start this season; Right handed pitcher Tanner Franklin,  and infielder Jesus Baez, both of whom are beginning their first full season in the organization. 

Also at Peoria is Won Bin Cho, shown  in the photo, right, who is with the Chiefs for the third consecutive season.

We’ve had our eye on Cho since he was the first amateur player signed by the Cardinals out of Asia. That was in 2022. If he’s going to advance in the Cardinals organization he needs to start getting noticed this year.

We were happy to see  that St. Louis native Wade Stauss, shown left serves as the assistant coach. Stauss played in the Cardinals minor leagues and then was hired as a coach, starting in Jupiter, and now Peoria.

The Chiefs play at Dozer Park and they have a new playing surface. A major renovation took place in the off-season and the team replaced the 23-year old surface with a new bluegrass field. It has enhanced drainage for those rainy days. We were able to see how it worked as it rained for a bit during the pre-game workouts.

The also have turf bullpens. The whole update gives Dozer Park a more major league feel.

Dozer Park has a Team Store, shown right, which was full of Peoria Chiefs merchandise.

An Easy Day Trip within Cardinal Nation

Located in downtown Peoria, Illinois, Dozer Park is just a 2.5-hour drive from St. Louis — an easy day trip or a great weekend getaway. Peoria offers plenty to do before or after the game, from riverfront dining to local breweries and shopping.

A Must-Do for Cardinals Fans

If you love Cardinals Baseball, catching a Peoria Chiefs game offers a perfect mix of nostalgia and excitement. You’ll enjoy great baseball, make lasting memories, and maybe even witness the next Cardinals superstar before the rest of the world knows their name.

One very interesting item in the stadium is the statue of one-time owner Pete Vonachen who passed away in 2013. The statue is shown left.

They dedicated it while he was still alive and he said, “You all thought you were going to get rid of me, but now you can’t.” It’s a touching statue of Vonachen talking to a child.

Something else that gives Dozer Park a major league feel are the addition of  specialty food and drinks.

The single sliced pizza featuring pepperoni and sausage both on the same slice looked delicious.

They have also added affordable family options like the “4-pack combo” ($40 for four hot dogs, four small sodas, and two popcorns) and a “Snack Deal Combo” ($27.50 for two sodas, two candies, and one popcorn)

They Make it Special for Veterans with Free Suite Tickets

For tickets and the full promotional schedule, visit www.peoriachiefs.com and plan your visit today. Baseball is alive and well in Peoria — and Cardinals fans have every reason to be part of it.