Peoria Powers Past Wisconsin 11-4

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Peoria Chiefs hit five home runs to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 11-4 on Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Brady Whalen did most of the damage with three homers and six RBI in the game.

The Chiefs (11-17) took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the first inning. Jhon Torres doubled to start the game and took third on a slow grounder back to the mound. Then, Wisconsin starting pitcher Freisis Adames uncorked a wild pitch with Whalen at the plate to allow Torres to score the first run of the game. Then, Whalen crushed a long home run out of the stadium to right-center for his first home run of the night.

Peoria poured on the offense with two more homers in the top of the second. Zade Richardson hit a two-run homer to the Wisconsin bullpen and Whalen lined a three-run home run down the line in right with two outs and the Chiefs were up 7-0.

Richardson hit a two-out, solo home run in the top of the third and the Chiefs had an 8-0 lead.

Yeison Coca put the Timber Rattlers (14-14) on the scoreboard with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the third inning.

Whalen went deep again in the fourth inning. He hit a two-run home run to right-center off the back wall of the boardwalk with two outs and the Chiefs were up 10-1. Whalen has six home runs this season with five coming against the Timber Rattlers.

Brendan Donovan added an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning.

Wisconsin put a rally together in the bottom of the fifth inning. David Hamilton walked with one out. Coca doubled home Hamilton. Je’Von Ward followed with a double of his own to drive home Coca for what turned out to be the final run of the game.

Ward’s double moved his hitting streak to thirteen games, which is the longest tied for the longest hitting streak in the High-A Central League this year. Ward was 1-for-3 with a walk on Friday night and is 21-for-47 (.447) during his current streak.

There was a moment of levity late in the game as position player Gabriel García entered the game as a pitcher to face the Chiefs in the top of the ninth. García retired the Chiefs in order on nine pitches.

Game five of the series is Saturday night. Justin Jarvis (0-4, 4.76) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Connor Lunn (1-1, 4.57) is set to go for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:35pm.

The gates to the stadium open at 5:00pm for a pair of giveaways on night three of Udder Tuggers weekend. There is a Stress Cow Giveaway courtesy of Milk Source for the first 500 kids ages twelve and under. The Udder Tuggers Can Coozie from Fleet Farm is for the first 1,000 fans of legal drinking age to attend the game. Players and coaches will wear the Udder Tuggers jerseys during this game, too. Stay after the game for the first Saturday night fireworks display presented by Tundraland. Then, have the kids aged twelve and under run the bases courtesy of Meijer on a North Shore Bank Family Night with 101.1 WIXX.

f you can’t make it out to the ballpark, you can follow the action on AM 1280 WNAM starting with the pregame show at 6:15pm. The game is also available on internet audio and through MiLB.tv.