Chiefs Thump Cubs in Complete Team Win

SOUTH BEND, IN – The Peoria Chiefs wore their hitting shoes on Wednesday. Peoria mashed four home runs, including a pair by William Sullivan, in a 13-6 romp of the South Bend Cubs at Four Winds Field.

The Chiefs offense played a complete game, setting single-game highs with four homers and eight stolen bases. Miguel Villarroel swiped four bags in the win, the most by a Chief in a single game since May 15, 2012, when Zeke Devoss also recorded four steals. Additionally, Peoria tied a season-high for runs, and their 16 hits were one shy of the season’s high-water mark.

For the third night in a row, the Chiefs scored in the game’s first inning. On what was a hit and run, Darlin Moquete launched a two-run homer to right field to give the Chiefs a 2-0 edge two batters into the game. An inning later, a Carlos Linarez sac fly made it a 3-0 contest.

In the fourth, Peoria broke the game wide open. The Chiefs sent 12 men to the plate and scored six times to commence the blowout. Zach Levenson led off the inning with a solo homer to extend the lead to 4-0. Then, after a walk and a pair of Villarroel stolen bases, Joshua Baez promptly singled him home to make it 5-0. Later in the frame, Brody Moore singled home a run, and Alex Iadidsernia recorded a sac fly off of reliever Marino Santy to give the Chiefs a 7-0 cushion. It was Levenson to serve as the bookend in the inning. He drove in two more tallies to make it a 9-0 affair. All nine runs were charged to Cubs starter Tyler Schlaffer, who was tagged with the loss.

South Bend scratched a run in the fourth before Sullivan got it right back. The big slugger connected on his third homer of the year, an opposite field shot, to make it 10-1.

The Cubs plated five runs over the game’s next two innings to cut the Peoria lead to 10-6. They would get no closer.

A Chris Rotondo RBI single boosted the lead to 11-6. Rotondo reached base three more times on Wednesday to extend his on-base streak to 23 games.

In the ninth, Sullivan provided the exclamation. His two-run blast to right was the final blow in another offensive explosion this week. For Sullivan, it was the first multi-homer game of his professional career.

Chiefs starter Hancel Rincon earned his fifth win of the year. He scattered three earned runs over 5 ⅔ innings, one out shy of another quality start.

The Chiefs-Cubs series shifts back to Dozer Park on Thursday. The Independence Day game is set for a 6:05 start. The city of Peoria’s Red White and Boom! fireworks show will follow Thursday’s contest. Fans are invited to stick around after the game to watch the display from Dozer Park.

Tickets remain available for all three weekend games against the Cubs. For tickets, call (309) 680-4000, or visit peoriachiefs.com.