Peoria Pounces on Wisconsin Miscues

PEORIA, IL – A key call went against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers early and some sloppy defense cost them late in a 12-3 loss to the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park on Thursday night. The loss ended Wisconsin’s three-game winning streak.

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Darrien Miller put the Rattlers (63-59 overall, 27-30 second half) up in the bottom of the first inning with a home run in the third pitch of the game. Miller’s blast to right was his eleventh home run of the season.

Tyler Reichenborn gave the Chiefs (51-71, 24-33) the lead in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run home run.

Jefferson Quero tied the game in the top of the third when he lined a solo home run to left. Quero’s homer was his second with the Timber Rattlers and eighth of the season between the Carolina Mudcats and Wisconsin.

The Timber Rattlers were primed for a big inning in the top of the fourth inning as they loaded the bases with no outs against Peoria starting pitcher Inohan Paniagua. The inning started with a walk to Zack Raabe, a double by Antonio Piñero, and a walk to Jose Acosta. However, Paniagua struck out the next two batters. That brought Quero back to the plate.

Quero delivered on a single to center to score Raabe. The throw went to third as Acosta tried to go from first to third on the hit. He was out for the final out of the inning. It appeared that Piñero had touched home before the out at third. However, plate umpire Bryan Van Vranken ruled that Piñero did not score and only counted one run. Wisconsin manager Joe Ayrault disagreed with the call. He was ejected after a brief, intense argument with the inning over and the Rattlers leading 3-2, instead of 4-2.

The lead did not last long.

Aaron McKeithan doubled with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Mack Chambers followed with a triple high off the wall in right to score McKeithan with the tying run. Reichenborn was next and he singled to score Chambers with the go-ahead run.

Peoria poured on the offense with four unearned runs against Miguel Guerrero in the bottom of the sixth inning. Guerrero got the first out of the inning, but an error on Eduardo García put Chambers on first base. Reichenborn followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Ramon Mendoza put down a safety squeeze that Guerrero fielded and had a play at the plate. However, Guerrero bobbled the transfer and lost his chance at the plate. Then, he turned and fired wildly to first. The Chiefs had runners at second and third with one out by the time the ball was returned to the infield.

Tommy Jew followed with another single to score a run and he stole second to put runners at second and third with two outs. Noah Mendlinger was next. He singled to score Mendoza from third, but Jew stopped at third as the throw came home. Mendlinger rounded first and drew a throw before getting caught in a rundown long enough to allow Jew to break for the plate and score the final run of the inning.

The Chiefs added four more runs in the seventh inning. Chambers doubled in the first run with his third hit of the night. Mendoza singled home two runs. Jacob Buchberger accounted for the final run with an infield grounder for a 12-3 lead.

Wisconsin’s offense had two hits after the fourth inning. Ethan Murray, who had two hits in the game, had a single in the fifth. Quero chipped in with a double in the ninth for his third hit of the game.

Game four of the series is Friday night at Dozer Park. Alexander Cornielle (0-0, 3.38) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Wilfredo Pereira (6-6, 4.61) is set to start for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starting at 6:15pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv for subscribers.