The Peoria Chiefs scored early and often in a 10-5 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Thursday night. The Chiefs improve to 12-12 on the season and win the series over the Whitecaps with the South Bend Cubs visiting Peoria for a three-game series starting on Friday night.
The Peoria Chiefs scored early and often in a 10-5 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Thursday night. The Chiefs improve to 12-12 on the season and win the series over the Whitecaps with the South Bend Cubs visiting Peoria for a three-game series starting on Friday night.
The Chiefs jumped out to an early lead against Whitecaps starter Matt Manning in the bottom of the first inning. Scott Hurst led off with a walk and stole second base before Elehuris Montero walked with one out. Juan Yepez brought Hurst home on a double to right field to put the Chiefs on the board. Montero scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Julio Rodriguez for a 2-0 lead.
Peoria added to their lead in the bottom of the second as Bryce Denton cranked a solo home run to left for a 3-0 lead. Nick Plummer drew a walk and Edwin Figuera laid down a bunt single to put two runners on. Hurst drove home Plummer with a single up the middle to extend the Chiefs lead to 4-0. With two outs, Montero lined a single into center scoring Figuera and make it a 5-0 advantage.
West Michigan got on the board in the top of the fourth against Chiefs starter Evan Guillory. Reynaldo Rivera lifted a ball that just barely cleared the wall in left for a solo shot but the Whitecaps still trailed 5-1. Colby Bortles doubled and Ignacio Valdez hit a two-run homer to left, to cut Peoria's lead to 5-3.
The Chiefs answered in the bottom of the fourth against reliever Dylan Stock. Irving Lopez led off with a single to right and moved to second as Montero reached on an error. Yepez singled to left to load the bases and an error by Bortles plated two runs for a 7-3 Chiefs lead. Plummer singled up the middle to score Yepez and Figuera reached on an infield single to score Denton and make it 9-3.
Peoria used the longball again in the bottom of the fifth inning against reliever Clate Schmidt. With one out Montero drilled a solo shot over the left field wall, his third of the year to extend the Chiefs lead to 10-3.
West Michigan attempted a ninth inning rally against Chiefs reliever Bryan Dobzanski. Garrett McCain was hit by a pitch and Alexis Garcia doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Peterson scored McCain on a groundout cutting the Chiefs lead to 10-4. Another groundout by Brady Policelli scored Garcia to cut the Chiefs lead to 10-5 before the final out was recorded.
Guillory (3-1) earned the win going six innings while allowing three runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Fabian Blanco pitched two scoreless innings allowing one hit with no walks and three strikeouts. Dobzanski pitched the ninth, letting up two runs on one hit with no walks and one strikeout.
Notes… Guillory had gone 16 1/3 innings without issuing a walk before walking Valdez in the top of the second inning tonight…Yepez has reached base in 16 straight games…Rodriguez has an eight-game hitting streak and a six-game RBI streak…Hurst has a seven-game hitting streak…The Chiefs are 5-4 in the final game of a series…The Chiefs have won three straight series at home…The 10 runs are the most the Chiefs have scored at home this season…The overall high is 12 which came in Guillory's lats start…Guillory has a team-high three quality starts…Yepez has 13 multi-hit games in 21 starts…Montero has three 3-hit games and three multi-RBI games…The Chiefs host South Bend at 6:30 p.m. Friday and the first 1000 fans 13 and over get a Harrison Bader Bobblehead…Friday is May the Fourth Night with Han Solo themed jerseys and post-game fireworks…The Chiefs will start RH Alvaro Seijas (0-2, 5.71) against South Bend RH Javier Assad (3-0, 0.95)…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.
