By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs played from behind most of the night and tied the game in the eighth before falling to the Clinton LumberKings 7-5 in 10 innings Tuesday night.
The loss snaps a three game Chiefs winning streak and drops the Chiefs to 16-10 in the second half and 49-45 overall this season.
The Chiefs opened the scoring in the first against Clinton starter Pat Peterson. Oscar Mercado led off with a walk and moved to third on a double by Paul DeJong. Both scored on a double by Harrison Bader to make it 2-0. However, Bader was left at third as Peterson recorded two strikeouts and a fly out.
Clinton took the lead in the second against Chiefs starter Luis Perdomo. Kristian Brito led off and reached on an error by Chiefs shortstop Oscar Mercado. Martin Peguero singled and James Alfonso walked to load the bases. Brito and Meguero scored on a double by Gianfranco Wawoe and Alfonso scored from third on a wild pitch to give the LumberKings a 3-2 lead.
Clinton extended their lead in the third. Chris Mariscal and Chantz Mack led off with back-to-back singles and both advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Mariscal scored on a single by Brito and Mack came home on a sacrifice fly by Peguero to make it 5-2.
Peoria got a pair of runs back in the seventh. With one out Brian O’Keefe walked and Andrew Sohn singled. Jhohan Acevedo was hit by a pitch from new LumberKings hurler Rohn Pierce to load the bases. O’Keefe scored on a fielder’s choice groundout by Mercado and Sohn came home from third on a double steal to make it 5-4.
The Chiefs tied the game in the eighth. Bader and Nick Thompson singled and Steve Bean walked to load the bases. Bader scored on a sacrifice fly by O’Keefe for the 5-5 score. With runners on first and second, Sohn struck out to end the inning.
Clinton re-took the lead in the tenth against new Chiefs pitcher Dixon Llorens. Mariscal led off and reached on an error by DeJong. Brito singled, and both scored on a triple by Peguero. The inning ended when Peguero was thrown out trying to score on a fly ball to center off the bat of Taylor Zeutenhorst. The Chiefs put the tying run on in the 10th, but O’Keefe grounded out to leave runners on the corners.
Perdomo got the start, going six innings and allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits and one walk, striking out three. Nick Frey pitched two shutout innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out one. Llorens (0-1) took the loss, going two innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits, striking out three.
