Beloit, WI - For the second day in a row the Peoria Chiefs lost a late lead as they fell to the Beloit Snappers 3-2 on Tuesday night. The loss drops the Chiefs back to .500 at 8-8 on the season with two games left in the series.
Beloit, WI - For the second day in a row the Peoria Chiefs lost a late lead as they fell to the Beloit Snappers 3-2 on Tuesday night. The loss drops the Chiefs back to .500 at 8-8 on the season with two games left in the series.
For the second night in a row the game was scoreless after five innings. Beloit replaced starter Jared Poche with right-handed reliever Jesus Zambrano and Julio Rodriguez led off the sixth with a single to center. Edwin Figuera was safe at first on a fielders' choice grounder to second base and Jonatan Machado's double put two in scoring position. Taylor Bryant gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead with a single to center but Machado was thrown out at the plate by Austin Beck for the second out. With Bryant at second, Zambrano escaped the inning with a groundout from Yariel Gonzalez.
Jake Walsh pitched around two singles and an error in the sixth inning to keep the Chiefs on top 1-0. After a dropped pop up in foul territory that would have ended the inning, Walsh got Trace Loehr to pop out to shortstop and strand two Snappers.
Peoria doubled the lead in the seventh against Zambrano. Montero tripled to right to start the inning, atoning for two errors in the field. Juan Yepez delivered his 14th RBI of the season with a single to right-center for a 2-0 Chiefs lead.
The Snappers came roaring back in the bottom of the inning against reliever Cory Malcom who suffered his first blown save of the season. Back-to-back walks started the inning and Nick Allen sliced a triple down the right-field line to tie the game 2-2. Mickey McDonald singled to left to put Beloit on top 3-2 and after a single by Beck the Chiefs changed pitchers with Kodi Whitley coming in. With one out the Snappers pulled off a double steal before McDonald was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to second base. With runners on the corners, Anthony Churlin popped up in foul territory to end the inning.
Walsh struck out seven and allowed four hits over six shutout innings as he walked two in the no-decision. Malcom (0-1) took the loss as he allowed three runs on three hits and two walks without retiring a batter. Whitley threw two shutout innings with one walk and one strikeout.
Notes…Chiefs starting pitchers have gone at least 5 2/3 innings in seven straight games…In those seven games the starters have allowed four total earned runs for a 0.87 ERA…In a total of 41 1/3 innings they have 47 strikeouts…The Chiefs have a blown save in two straight games after the starters did not allow a run in either game…Machado had his first extra-base hit of the season…Yariel Gonzalez had his 12-game on base streak snapped while Bryant now has an 12-game on base streak…Walsh took over the team lead with 26 strikeouts, five more than Evan Guillory who starts on Thursday…Walsh is third in the Midwest League in strikeouts, first among Western Division pitchers…The 26 strikeouts in April are tied for the most in the opening month since Sean Gallagher struck out 27 in 2005…The Chiefs record appears to be 36 by Dan Haren 2002 while Greg Maddux struck out 31 in 1985 and Ty Johnson had 28 in 2002…Paid attendance was 408…The series continues at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday as the Chiefs start RHP Johan Oviedo (1-1, 7.36) against Snappers RHP Michael Danielak (0-2, 9.00)…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.
