
By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – With Cardinals centerfielder Jon Jay beginning a rehab assignment as the leadoff hitter, the Peoria Chiefs used a three-run sixth inning rally to pick up a 4-3 win over the Clinton LumberKings Tuesday night. The win, their third in a row, lifts the Chiefs to 24-22 with six games remaining on the current homestand.
The LumberKings got the scoring started against Chiefs righty Daniel Poncedeleon in the top of the first. With one out Rayder Ascanio reached on an error by Chiefs shortstop Oscar Mercado and he scored when Chris Mariscal launched a home run to left field to make it 2-0 Clinton.
Jay grounded out in the first inning and the Chiefs got on the board in the bottom of the third against LumberKings starter Zack Littell. Blake Drake led off with a triple and scored on a passed ball to make it 2-1. Jay lined into an unassisted double play at first base to end the third inning and was robbed of extra bases by first baseman Kristian Brito on a sharp grounder to end the fifth. He finished the game 0-for-4 while recording three putouts in centerfield.
The Chiefs took the lead in the bottom of the sixth against new LumberKings pitcher Troy Scott. With one out Vaughn Bryan singled and Justin Ringo tripled to tie the game at two. Danny Diekroeger singled through the drawn-in infield to score Ringo and make it 3-2 Chiefs. With two outs, Magneuris Sierra singled and Diekroeger moved to second. Diekroeger scored on a single by Blake Drake to make it 4-2.
The LumberKings plated a run against Blake McKnight in the top of the seventh. Arby Fields hit a one-out triple and scored on an error by Chiefs second baseman Darren Seferina to make it 4-3 Peoria.
Poncedeleon (5-0) got the win for the Chiefs, pitching six innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks, striking out four. Blake McKnight went 1 2/3 and allowed one unearned run on three hits, striking out two. Tyler Bray pitched 1 1/3 to get his first professional save, allowing one hit and striking out two.