By WJBC Staff
BURLINGTON, Iowa- The Peoria Chiefs allowed a season-high in runs and lost the series opener 9-0 to the Burlington Bees Thursday night. The loss drops the Chiefs back to .500 on the season at 14-14 with two games left in the series and marks the second time the Chiefs have been shutout in four games.
Burlington blew the game wide open in the second inning against Chiefs lefty Dewin Perez. Perez, who walked five Bees on Saturday in just two innings, walked Zach Houchins to start the inning. With one out Wade Wass singled and Trevor Gretzky walked to load the bases. Number nine hitter Erick Salcedo delivered his first RBI of the season with a bases-clearing double down the left-field line for a 3-0 Bees lead. Perez allowed a single to Kasey Coffman and walked Caleb Adams before leaving the game with the bases loaded and one out. Andrew Daniel greeted reliever Blake McKnight with a grand slam to left field, his second homer of the season, as the Bees took a 7-0 lead. After an error and a two-out single, McKnight got out of the inning with a groundout.
The Bees added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth against McKnight. With one down Fran Whitten doubled and Wass was hit by a pitch in the knee. Gretzky reached on a fielders’ choice to put runners on the corners before Salcedo walked. Coffman delivered a bases loaded single to center for an 8-0 lead and Gretzky scored on an error by Danny Diekroeger for a 9-0 Bees lead. Kevin Alexander came out of the Chiefs bullpen and got a flyout to end the inning.
Perez (0-1) allowed six runs on four hits and three walks while striking out one over 1 1/3 innings to take the loss. McKnight allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits, a walk and a hit batter while striking out two over 3 1/3 innings. Alexander threw 2 1/3 hitless and shutout innings while hitting a batter and striking out three. Nick Lomascolo struck out two and allowed one hit in his shutout inning.
