By WJBC Staff
BELOIT, Wisc. – The Peoria went back-to-back-to-back in the fifth inning for what’s believed to be the first time in franchise history in an 8-3 win over the Beloit Snappers Wednesday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 32-33 with four games left in the first half and they go for the sweep in Beloit Thursday night.
The Chiefs got the scoring in the top of the first against Beloit hurler Daniel Gossett. Vaughn Bryan reached on an infield single with one out and stole second. Oscar Mercado turned on a full-count pitch and hit his second home run of the season out to left field for a 2-0 lead. Beloit responded in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run from leadoff batter James Harris to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the fifth the Chiefs had three straight singles, two off the wall, but did not score after losing two runners on the bases. In the bottom of the inning Beloit took the lead as Harris doubled home two runs with two outs against Austin Gomber.
The Beloit lead didn’t last long as the Chiefs had a historic sixth inning. With one out Mercado doubled to left field and scored to tie the game on a double by Danny Diekroeger. Alex DeLeon ended Gossett’s night with a long two-run homer off the scoreboard in left-center field, his sixth of the season. Three pitches later Nick Thompson homered to left for a 6-3 Chiefs lead and the first back-to-back homers since April 12, 2014.
Still not done the Chiefs got a third consecutive home run four pitches later as Andrew Sohn clubbed his first of the year to left field off Cody Stull. With two outs in the inning Blake Drake singled and scored on a double by Darren Seferina and an error by centerfielder James Harris for an 8-3 Chiefs lead.
Gomber (6-3) picked up his fifth straight win dating back to April 29 with three runs allowed on five hits over five innings. The All-Star lefty struck out six and walked one while allowing a home run. Nick Lomascolo threw a shutout inning with a walk, a hit batter and a strikeout. Josh Wirsu made his Chiefs debut and struck out two while allowing two singles and two walks over two shutout innings. All-Star Robby Rowland struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning in a non-save situation.
