By WJBC Staff
CLINTON, Iowa- The Peoria Chiefs left eight runners on base and were shutout 2-0 by the Clinton LumberKings Monday night despite outhitting the home team 6-5. The loss drops the Chiefs to 12-13 in the first game of a 10-game road trip.
“That was a well pitched game on both sides tonight,” said Chiefs manager Joe Kruzel. “(Luis) Perdomo had the one tough inning for us but then he settled down and kept us in the game.”
The Chiefs left two runners on in the top of the first and fell behind in the bottom of the second. Luis Perdomo walked Joe DeCarlo and with one on and one out, Wayne Taylor singled to right. A passed ball put Clinton top 1-0 and two more hits made it 2-0 though rightfielder Blake Drake threw out Kristian Brito at the plate for the second out of the inning. After a fourth hit in the frame, Perdomo struck out Nelson Ward to strand two runners.
Blake Drake led off the Chiefs third with a double against Lukas Schiraldi, son of former Major Leaguer Calvin Schiraldi. He moved to third on a groundout by Darren Seferina but Andrew Sohn struck out for the second out. Danny Diekroeger drew a walk to put runners on the corners but Schiraldi retired Nick Thompson to end the inning.
Neither team got a runner past first base the rest of the game as Perdomo and Schiraldi settled in. The Chiefs out-hit Clinton six to five for the contest but couldn’t crack the run column against three hurlers.
“We hit the ball well tonight and hit some balls hard but right at people,” said Kruzel. “Just one of those nights where we played good defense and out hit them but unfortunately the balls we hit with guys on base were just right at their guys.”
Perdomo (1-2) took the loss despite his second straight quality start. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven. Kevin Alexander retired all four batters he faced with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.
