Rodriguez Twirls Five No-Hit Innings, Wisconsin Rallies Against the 'Pen
PEORIA, IL - Chiefs starter Dionys Rodriguez set the tone at Dozer Park on Wednesday night, turning in his best performance of the 2022 campaign, as he strung together five no-hit innings before being lifted. However, the Timber Rattlers woke up the bats down the stretch, plating runs in each
PEORIA, IL - Chiefs starter Dionys Rodriguez set the tone at Dozer Park on Wednesday night, turning in his best performance of the 2022 campaign, as he strung together five no-hit innings before being lifted. However, the Timber Rattlers woke up the bats down the stretch, plating runs in each of the final four frames to swipe a 7-4 victory in game two of the series.
Rodriguez danced around a pair of walks in the game’s first two innings as the two squads traded goose eggs. In the fourth, Peoria drew first blood on a sac fly from LJ Jones to take a 1-0 edge. The following inning, Noah Mendlinger doubled the lead with an RBI base hit that brought home Wade Stauss and made it a 2-0 ballgame in favor of the Chiefs.
After a two-out walk to Zach Raabe in the second, the Cardinals No. 19 prospect did not allow another batter to reach base, retiring ten consecutive Timber Rattlers before his exit after five marvelous innings.
5.0 IP
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) September 1, 2022
0 H
0 R
0 E
7 SO
Another top-tier performance from the Cardinals #19 prospect! pic.twitter.com/2XI4hNcaWr
Upon Rodriguez’s exit, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson was summoned from the bullpen, tasked with maintaining the Peoria lead. With two outs in the sixth, Brewers top prospect Jackson Chourio went deep to slice the lead in half, 2-1. For Chourio, it was his second homer in as many nights and it put an end to Trogrlic-Iverson’s scoreless streak that spanned 20.0 innings. An inning later, a Reidy Mercado base hit evened the score in the seventh at two a side.
In the eighth, the visitors continued to pile on, as an error allowed Ben Metzinger to reach. A couple of batters later, Eduardo Garcia punched a base hit into the outfield to score the go-ahead run. A passed ball allowed a fourth run to score before an RBI fielder’s choice stretched the Wisconsin lead to 5-2 after seven and a half. In the bottom of the frame, Peoria responded with some two-out fight. An LJ Jones drew a free pass to set up Mack Chambers. An ensuing double presented a chance to Francisco Hernandez, who ripped one through the left side to score both runners and bring Peoria back to within one at 5-4.
With some added intrigue heading to the ninth, Wisconsin put any doubt to rest, when Garcia tacked on a pair of key insurance runs following a Peoria error. James Meeker made the 7-4 lead stand tall as he slammed the door for his second save of the series.
The series continues on the final Miller Lite Thirsty Thursday promotion of the year. Peoria looks to Inohan Paniagua while Wisconsin sends Israel Puello to the mound. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.