Peoria, IL - After throwing eight shutout innings, the Peoria Chiefs dropped the series opener to the Quad Cities River Bandits in 10 innings 3-2 on Saturday night. The Chiefs fell to 25-15 in the second half and 64-46 overall with the middle game of the three-game series set for
Peoria, IL - After throwing eight shutout innings, the Peoria Chiefs dropped the series opener to the Quad Cities River Bandits in 10 innings 3-2 on Saturday night. The Chiefs fell to 25-15 in the second half and 64-46 overall with the middle game of the three-game series set for 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Angel Rondon worked out of a jam on the mound in the top of the sixth inning. Marty Costes was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning followed by a single to center from Ruben Castro. Costes advanced to third on a fly out to right. Rondon struck out Chandler Taylor and Alfredo Angarita swinging to get out of the runners at the corners jam.
River Bandits starter Cesar Rosado had a no-hitter through five innings until the Chiefs broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Brandon Benson smoked a double down the left-field line to break up the no-hitter and Rayder Ascanio singled to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Wood Myers singled to center as Benson scored for a 1-0 lead.
Quad Cities knotted it up in the top of the ninth against Ben Yokley. Taylor led off with a solo home run to dead center that traveled 432 feet for the second longest home run at Dozer Park this season to tie the game 1-1. Angarita drew a walk and Jonathan Lacroix singled to put runners at the corners as Yokley exited. Kodi Whitley came in out of the bullpen and walked David Hensley with one out to load the bases. Logan Mattix struck out looking and Costes grounded out to the shortstop Ascanio on a great pick at first by Luke Baker to end the threat.
The River Bandits wasted no time to take the lead in the top of the 10th against Thomas St. Clair. Costes was the automatic runner at second and Castro drove him in on a single to center to move ahead 2-1. Taylor drew a one-out walk and an error by the Chiefs scored Castro for a 3-1 advantage.
The Chiefs attempted a rally in the bottom of the 10th against Willy Collado. Plummer ran at second to start the inning and he moved to third on a fly out to right by Brandon Benson. Ascanio scored Plummer on a groundout to cut the QC lead to 3-2. Myers singled with two outs but Luken Baker struck out on a full-count pitch to end the game
Rondon took a no-decision throwing six shutout innings allowing three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. Patrick Dayton pitched two scoreless innings without allowing a hit with no walks and five strikeouts. Yokley faced three batters in the ninth allowing run on two hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Whitley threw one inning without allowing a run or a hit with one walk and two strikeouts. St. Clair (2-3) took the loss allowing two unearned runs over one inning with one walk and one strikeout.
Notes… The Chiefs are 7-6 in extra innings and are now 6-1 in extra-inning games at home...The Chiefs starting pitcher has gone at least five innings in 23 straight games...Rodriguez picked off his third runner of the season....The Chiefs are 55-3 when taking the lead into the ninth inning...The Chiefs are 13-6 during the first game of a series at home...Peoria is 58-12 when allowing four runs or less...Five of the last six games have been decided by one run and the Chiefs are 2-3 in those games…The series continues at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday against Quad Cities... Sunday is Princess day with princess character appearances by Rapunzel and Snow White…PNC Family Sunday features $5 tickets for kids 12 and under…All fans can play catch on the field pre-game in the outfield, starting when gates open…Player autographs are post-game on the concourse and available to all fans…The first 1,000 fans through the gates ages receive a Yariel Gonzalez player poster…Seniors 55 and over can get $5 tickets on Senior Sunday…Sunday is also Bark in the Park as fans can bring their dogs to Dozer Park…The Chiefs will start RH Paul Balestrieri (7-4, 4.03) against River Bandits RH Leovanny Rodriguez (4-4, 3.74)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 1:45 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network on the Tune-In Radio App...The game is available on MiLB.tv for subscribers
