Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs scored early and often in a 12-3 rout of South Bend on Friday night in the series opener between the teams at Dozer Park. The win moves the Chiefs back over .500 at 13-12 with two games left on the series.
Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs scored early and often in a 12-3 rout of South Bend on Friday night in the series opener between the teams at Dozer Park. The win moves the Chiefs back over .500 at 13-12 with two games left on the series.
The game was scoreless in the bottom of the second when the Chiefs began to tee off on Chicago's top 30 prospect Javier Assad. Juan Yepez walked and moved to second on a single by Bryce Denton. Dennis Ortega drove in Yepez with a one-out single to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead and Taylor Bryant walked with two down to load the bases. Irving Lopez cleared the bases with a double off the center field wall for a 4-0 lead before Assad got out of the inning.
Leading 4-2 the Chiefs took advantage of an error to get those runs back. Assad booted a dribbler down the first base line allowing Yepez to reach with one out. With two down Nick Plummer crushed a 415-foot home run to the picnic tables under the videoboard in right field to give the Chiefs a 6-2 lead. The homer is Plummer's third of the season and second of the homestand, both traveling over 414 feet.
The Chiefs blew the game wide open in the sixth against South Bend's bullpen. Jonatan Machado greeted Manny Rodriguez with a double to right and stole third as Bryant was hit by a pitch. Lopez walked to load the bases and with one out a wild pitch scored Machado for a 7-2 Chiefs lead. Elehuris Montero doubled to center for a 9-2 lead and he scored on a single by Denton as the Chiefs reached double digits for the second straight game.
With a 10-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh the Chiefs added on with another homer as Lopez hit a towering shot to right off Brian Glowicki. The homer was Lopez's second of the season and his third extra-base hit of the game.
The final run of the game came in the eighth. Yepez led off with a single and moved to second on a groundout. With two down Ortega's single to center plated Yepez for a 12-3 lead.
Alvaro Seijas (1-2) picked up his first win of the season as he allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits over six innings. He struck out three, walked one and hit two. Noel Gonzalez allowed a run on two hits and two walks over 2/3 of an inning. Thomas St. Clair did not allow a run over 1 1/3 innings as he hit a batter and struck out one. Bryan Dobzanski retired the side in order in the ninth.
Notes…Yepez has reached base in 17 straight games…Plummer's homer is the longest at Dozer Park this season, one foot longer than his home run against West Michigan on Wednesday…Gonzalez left the game with an apparent arm injury after colliding with South Bend first baseman James Young while beating out a double play ball in the fourth….Taylor Bryant moved from shortstop to first base as Edwin Figuera pinch-ran for Gonzalez and stayed in the game to play SS…Ortega threw out two more would-be base stealers and has thrown out 8-of-12 on the season which leads the MWL…Ortega's two hits give the Chiefs catchers seven multi-hit games in the last eight team games since April 26…St. Clair has inherited 11 runners this season and none have scored…Game two of the series starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday with an appearance by Baseball HOFer Tony LaRussa…The former Cardinals manager will throw out a ceremonial first pitch and sign autographs on the concourse…There will be a post-game Fireworks show…Saturday is Cinco de Mayo Day and Kentucky Derby Night with various food and beverage specials at the concession stands…The Chiefs will start RH Zach Prendergast (3-0, 0.75) against South Bend LH Brendon Little (0-2, 6.00)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:15 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App…The game is also available on MiLB.tv for subscribers.
