Chiefs Win 6-5 Thursday

Appleton, WI - The Peoria Chiefs took the final game of a five-game series 6-5 over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Thursday afternoon as the hosts left the tying run on base to end the game. The 20-26 Chiefs now head to Iowa for a four-game series in Cedar Rapids.

     The Chiefs got off to a great start against Wisconsin starter Reese Olson in the first inning. Brendan Donovan drew a walk, Delvin Perez singled to center and Nolan Gorman put the Chiefs on top 1-0 with a single to right-center. Ivan Herrera reached on an infield single to score Perez and Gorman scored on a bad throw to first on the play. Josh Shaw brought home the fourth run of the inning with a double to right-center to plate Herrera.
     Peoria added on in the second inning with the help of an error. With two down, Perez reached on a throwing error by Olson as he attempted to bunt of a single. Gorman beat the shift with a single down the right field line and Perez scored all the way from first for a 5-0 lead with Gorman advancing to second on the throw.
      Wisconsin scored three times in the fourth as David Fry once again drove in a run with a groundball through the right-side of a vacated shift. After an error kept the inning rolling, LG Castillo doubled home two before Kyle Leahy got a strikeout and groundout to escape the inning.
     In the fifth the Chiefs scored against reliever Wilfred Salaman. Gorman was hit by a pitch to start the inning and he advanced to second on a balk before scoring on a double off the wall by Herrera.
     Cole Aker, who is listed as Friday's starter in Cedar Rapids, came out of the bullpen in the sixth and Wisconsin threatened an inning later. Korry Howell reached on an error with one out and Bruce Turang walked. Aker bounced back with consecutive strikeouts to keep the Chiefs on top 6-3.
     Wisconsin plated two runs in the ninth on a dropped fly ball with two outs. Edgar Escobar got Fry to pop up to first to end the game with the tying run at first base.
     Leahy allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and one walk over five innings as he struck out four. Aker allowed one hit over two shutout innings as he struck out three and walked one. Escobar nailed down his fourth save as he allowed two unearned runs to score on one hit and one walk while striking out two.
     The Chiefs now head to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for a four-game weekend set. The series starts Friday at 6:35 p.m. as the Chiefs start TBA against Kernels RH Tyler Palm (1-3, 4.44). The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:20 p.m. on the Peoria Chiefs Tune-In Page, which is free and also has a free app for smartphones and tablets.