Peoria, IL - Evan Mendoza drove in the game winning run in the 11th inning for the Peoria Chiefs as they beat the Burlington Bees 2-1 on Sunday to move back into the wild card lead in the Western Division. The Chiefs improve to 27-22 in the second half and
Peoria, IL - Evan Mendoza drove in the game winning run in the 11th inning for the Peoria Chiefs as they beat the Burlington Bees 2-1 on Sunday to move back into the wild card lead in the Western Division. The Chiefs improve to 27-22 in the second half and 57-61 overall and will face the first place Quad Cities River Bandits at Modern Woodman Park on Monday for the first game of a four-game set with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
Both teams were held scoreless until the third when the Chiefs got on the board. With one out, Burlington starter Erik Manoah Jr. walked Nick Plummer who stole second to move into scoring position. Mick Fennell drove in the first run of the game with a single to right field and was thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit to a double, but Peoria took a 1-0 lead for the second straight game.
Burlington was able to break even with the Chiefs against starter Anthony Shew in the sixth. Artemis Khadkhodaian led off with a single, going to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball. With one out and the infield in Leonardo Rivas grounded a ball to first baseman Juan Yepez who threw home, but a feet-first slide by Khadkhodaian knocked the ball out of catcher Ryan McCarvel's glove to make it a 1-1 tie. Jonah Todd doubled to put runners at second a third with one out and knock Shew out of the game. Colton Thomson came in from the bullpen for Peoria and got Richie Fecteau to line into a double play, with Rivas being thrown out before he could get back to third to end the inning.
The score remained tied until the 11th inning with Burlington reliever Tyler Stevens on the mound. Stevens walked Kramer Robertson to lead off the inning and with one out, Mendoza drove a double to center field to score Robertson and give the Chiefs a 2-1 walk-off victory.
Shew went 5 1/3 innings while allowing a run on four hits with four strikeouts in a no-decision. Thomson threw 1 2/3 innings in relief without allowing a run or hit while striking out one. LeLand Tilley went two perfect innings out of the bullpen with a strikeout. Yeison Medina (4-0) threw two scoreless innings in a win, allowing two hits with a strikeout.
Notes… The Chiefs have 11 last at-bat wins… Peoria has seven walk-off wins this season… The Chiefs have 16 walk-offs against Burlington in Dozer Park history, the most against any opponents… The Chiefs turned three double plays which ties a season-high set on June 29 against Beloit… Fennell had his sixth multi-hit game of the season… The Chiefs have played in back-to-back extra-inning games twice this season, both at Dozer Park… The other time was against Beloit on May 18 and 19… Evan Mendoza has hit safely in 13 straight games, 10 in State College and his first three with the Chiefs… The Chiefs won the season series 11-8 against Burlington, their fifth straight season winning the series against the Bees…Peoria hasn't been swept at Dozer Park in a four-game series since August 2013… The Chiefs are 4-9 in extra innings, with all four wins coming at home… Peoria is 15-14 in Sunday games this season and are 11-8 in their Sunday baby blue jerseys… Peoria heads to Quad Cities to take on the River Bandits on Monday at 6:35 p.m. as the Chiefs start LH Ian Oxnevad (3-9, 4.21) while the River Bandits have yet to name a starter… The broadcast can be heard, starting with the pregame show at 6:20 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, and Android… The broadcast is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Radio Network in the Tune-In Radio App.
