By WJBC Staff
APPLETON, Wisc. – The Peoria Chiefs rallied to tie the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on a ninth inning inside-the-park-home run but ultimately lost 8-7 in 10 innings on Monday night. The loss drops the Chiefs to 26-30-1 in the second half and 66-60-1 overall.
The Chiefs jumped out to an early lead as Brian O’Keefe hit his 12th home run of the season in the top of the second for a 1-0 lead. Wisconsin answered in the bottom of the inning as Lucas Erceg tied the game with a solo home run off Jake Woodford. Monte Harrison walked, Juan Ortiz singled and Max McDowell gave the Rattlers a 2-1 lead with a single. Ortiz scored on a groundout and two batters later Luis Aviles put the Rattlers on top 4-1 with an infield single.
The Chiefs responded in the third against Jordan Desguin. Jose Martinez doubled to right to start the inning and he scored on a single to right by Eli Alvarez. Alvarez took second on the throw home, stole third and scored on a wild pitch to cut the Rattlers lead to 4-3.
Wisconsin built their lead back up over the middle innings. Trent Clark doubled home two to knock Woodford from the game with two outs in the fourth innings. Erceg tripled off Bob Wheatley in the fifth inning and scored on a dribbler down the third base line from Harrison for a 7-3 lead.
The Chiefs started the comeback in the seventh against Miguel Sanchez. Magneuris Sierra tripled with one out and Martinez brought him home with a sacrifice fly. An inning later the Chiefs got a single from Jose Godoy and a triple from RJ Dennard cut the Rattlers lead to 7-5.
Wisconsin brought Scott Grist into the game in the ninth inning and Craig Aikin knocked a hustle double into center in front of a sliding Harrison. Sierra launched a ball off the center field wall that bounced onto the warning track in left-center. The Chiefs leadoff man never slowed down as he circled the bases in just over 15 seconds for an inside-the-park-home run to tie the game 7-7.
Neither team scored in their next at-bat and Tyler Bray, who threw two scoreless innings, came back out for the 10th. With one out, Jake Gatewood pushed a hit past the shift and hustled to second for a double. The Chiefs intentionally walked Erceg and Harrison was retired on a weak grounder for the second out. Juan Ortiz, who entered the game batting .148, stepped up and delivered a walk off single to left for the 8-7 Rattlers win.
Woodford allowed six runs on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Wheatley allowed one run on three hits over 2 1/3 innings while striking out one. Davis Ward allowed one hit and struck out two over one shutout inning. Bray (3-4) took the loss as he allowed one run on two hits and one walk while striking out five over 2 2/3 innings.
