By Nathan Baliva/Peoria Chiefs
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs were shutout for the first time in 2015 as the losing streak hit five games in a 2-0 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Saturday afternoon. The loss drops the Chiefs under .500 on the season at 8-9 with one game left in the series.
The Chiefs put a runner in scoring position in the first against Cy Sneed as Oscar Mercado singled with one out and moved to second on a dropped pickoff throw. He was left at second as Sneed escaped the inning.
Wisconsin, who hit two home runs in Friday’s win, used the long ball again to take the lead on Saturday against Will Anderson and the Chiefs. Sthervin Matos led off the second inning with a solo homer, his second in as many days, for a 1-0 Rattlers lead.
Blake Drake led off the Chiefs third with a single and stole second. Darren Seferina walked to put two on base but Sneed got out of the jam as Magneuris Sierra popped up a bunt, Mercado hit into a fielders’ choice and Danny Diekroeger struck out.
Alex DeLeon doubled with two outs in the fourth inning but the Chiefs couldn’t convert the hit into a run. The Rattlers added to the lead in the fifth against Anderson. Jake Gatewood singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brandon Diaz singled to center with two outs for a 2-0 Rattlers lead.
The Chiefs didn’t get a base runner in the sixth or seventh against reliever Victor Diaz. Seferina singled with one out in the eighth and moved to second on a balk. But Diaz got out of the inning with a strikeout and a popup and limited the Chiefs to a two-out walk in the ninth inning to finish the shutout.
Anderson (2-1) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings while striking out four and walking one in the loss. Tyler Bray and Robby Rowland each threw a shutout and hitless inning out of the bullpen. Bray recorded a strikeout while Rowland walked one and struck out two.