Reyes K's 12 in Rehab Start, Chiefs Win

Peoria, IL - Cardinals pitcher Alex Reyes baffled Clinton hitters with 12 strikeouts over five innings and the Peoria Chiefs offense went deep three times in a 5-2 win in the series opener on Monday night. The Chiefs after their fifth straight win improve to 18-16 on the season with the second game of the four-game set for Tuesday at 11 a.m.

     Reyes struck out the side in the first and added a fourth strikeout to end the second after allowing a one-out double. The Chiefs used the longball to get on the board in the bottom of the second inning against LumberKings starter Ray Kerr. Julio Rodriguez blasted a solo shot over the left field fence for his fifth home run of the season as the Chiefs grabbed an early 1-0 lead.
     As Reyes cruised on the mound with two more strikeouts in the third, the Chiefs tacked onto their lead in the bottom of the inning. Taylor Bryant walked with one out while Irving Lopez and Yariel Gonzalez both drew walks to load up the bases. Elehuris Montero lined a two-out single up the middle to score Bryant and Lopez for a 3-0 advantage.
     Reyes struck out three in the fourth with a two-out walk as the only baserunner. Rodriguez hit his second solo homer of the night, this on against reliever Clay Chandler, to put the Chiefs up 4-0.
     Reyes notched strikeout number 10 to start the fifth and followed with another strikeout. He walked Ryan Scott on a full-count pitch but bounced back for his 12^th strikeout of the night as he got Billy Cooke looking. With 80 pitches thrown, Reyes walked off the mound to a standing ovation and the Chiefs on top 4-0 after five innings.
     The advantage widened with help from another home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gonzalez took Chandler deep over the picnic tables in right field on a ball that traveled 418 feet for the longest home run at Dozer Park this season and a 5-0 lead.
     Johan Oviedo took over in the sixth and Clinton got on the board as Dimas Ojeda hit a solo home run over the right field wall as the LumberKings trailed 5-1. Another solo shot helped Clinton chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Louis Boyd sent a ball over the left field fence to narrow the gap to 5-2.
     Reyes (1-0) earned the win in the rehab start going five scoreless innings allowing just one hit with two walks and 12 strikeouts. Oviedo got the save tossing four innings, allowing two runs on three hits as he struck out six and didn't issue a walk.
Notes… Reyes pitched for the Chiefs in 2014 and is the first former Chiefs player to return on a MLB rehab since Joe Girardi did so in 2003 as a Cardinals catcher…Reyes matched Kerry Wood's 2006 rehab start with 12 strikeouts over five innings…The 12 strikeouts are the most by a Chiefs pitcher this season and the second most in stadium history (14, Starling Peralta in 2012)…Chiefs pitchers combined to strike out a season-high 18…The three-homer game ties a Chiefs season high…Oviedo notched his first career save in a piggyback role…Rodriguez recorded his second multi-HR game of the season and added a double for a 10 total base effort…Gonzalez has an eight-game hit streak…Gonzalez's HR traveled 418 feet and is the longest at Dozer Park this season…The Chiefs have won a season high five games in a row… The Chiefs will host Clinton at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday on Ameren Illinois Education Day with a Two for Tuesday promotion in which fans will get a $2 deal on a specific item each Tuesday… Chick-Fil-A Thanks For Your Service Tuesday… Military veterans and first responders; police, fire, EMT, can get $3 tickets with a valid ID; Max 4 tickets per transaction…The Chiefs will start RHP Evan Guillory (3-2, 3.51) against Clinton LH Olivier Jaskie (1-2, 5.00)...The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 10:45 a.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.