By WJBC Staff
MIDLAND, Mich. – The Peoria Chiefs allowed a pair of three-run innings and fell to the Great Lakes Loons 7-3 on Thursday night at Dow Diamond. The loss drops the Chiefs to 26-28 on the season and they attempt to avoid being swept on Friday night in the series finale.
The Chiefs put two on base in the first inning as Danny Diekroeger singled with two outs and Nick Thompson doubled. However Joe Broussard got Steve Bean to groundout to second to end the inning. In the second the Chiefs took the lead against Broussard and the Loons. Blake Drake singled with one out and moved to third on a single by Luis Cruz. Andrew Sohn’s sacrifice fly gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead before Cruz was picked off first by the Loons catcher to end the inning.
Luis Perdomo, named a Midwest League All-Star and the Cardinals MiLB Pitcher of the Month earlier in the day, escaped a Loons threat in the second inning but wasn’t as fortunate in the third. He walked Kelvin Ramos to start the inning before Johan Mieses singled to right. Jimmy Allen loaded the bases on an infield single and Ramos scored on a deep sacrifice fly to center by Alex Santana. The game wasn’t tied long as Ivan Vela singled to left-center to score Mieses and Allen for a 3-1 Loons lead. Jacob Scavuzzo led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left-center that completely left Dow Diamond for a 4-1 Loons lead.
The Chiefs left two on base in the third inning and left a runner at third in the fourth. Reliever Derrick Sylvester retired the Chiefs in order in both the fifth and sixth before the Loons extended their lead. Michael Ahmed reached on an error by Mercado and Scavuzzo singled to left. After a sacrifice bunt, Ramos ended Perdomo’s evening with a two-run single to center for a 6-1 Loons lead. Mieses greeted reliever Blake McKnight with a RBI infield single for a 7-1 lead. After a single from Allen, McKnight got out of the inning with a 5-4-3 double play.
Peoria cut into the lead in the seventh. Drake led off with a single and moved to third on a one-out single by Sohn. A wild pitch from Sylvester moved Sohn to second and with two outs Oscar Mercado lined a single to left to score two runs.
Perdomo (2-5) allowed seven runs, six earned, on six hits and five walks over 5 1/3 innings in the loss. He struck out three and allowed a home run while also committing a balk. The runs allowed and walks issued both tied career highs for Perdomo. McKnight allowed three hits over 1 2/3 shutout innings while striking out two. Robby Rowland threw a perfect eighth inning out of the bullpen.
