By WJBC Staff
GENEVA – The Peoria Chiefs scored four runs early and held on for a 6-5 win Monday afternoon in the regular season finale over the Kane County Cougars.
The win finishes the regular season at 75-63 for the Chiefs with a 42-28 second half record as they prepare to host Kane County in the playoff opener Wednesday night at 6:30.
Darren Seferina started the game with a double to right off Jared Miller and he moved to third on a wild pitch with one out. Paul DeJong got the Chiefs on the board with a sacrifice fly to left for a 1-0 first inning lead.
With two down in the second inning Steve Bean started a rally with a single to right. Kenny Peoples-Walls put the Chiefs on top 2-0 with a triple to center, his first since 2013. The Chiefs took a 3-0 lead on an error at second base by Henry Castillo but left the bases loaded to end the inning.
Harrison Bader added to the Chiefs lead in the top of the third inning with a one-out solo home run into the left field party deck. The homer, his ninth in a Chiefs uniform, put Peoria on top 4-0.
Kane County got a run against Chiefs reliever Sasha Kuebel in the seventh inning before the Chiefs answered in the eighth. Josh Swirchak singled with two outs and Seferina walked. Nick Thompson delivered his team-leading 59th RBI of the season with a single to right for a 5-1 lead.
The Chiefs added an unearned run in the ninth as Bader singled and moved to third on a two-out wild pitch. Peoples-Walls reached on an error at third base as Bader scored for a 6-1 lead. Victor Reyes homered off Jery Then to start the bottom of the ninth as the Cougars cut the Chiefs lead to 6-2. Three of the next four batters reached, two on singles before Then left with the bases loaded and one out. Closer Kyle Grana came in and walked Michael Perez to cut the lead to 6-3. After a strikeout, Cody Regis singled home two for a 6-5 game. With two on Grana struck out Quinton Mac to end the game.
Dewin Perez (3-6) allowed just two singles and a hit batter over six shutout innings while striking out one. Kuebel allowed one run on two hits over one inning of work. Tyler did not allow a hit or a run in 2/3 of an inning. Dixon Llorens struck out the only batter he faced in the eighth. Then allowed four runs on three hits and one walk in 1/3 of an inning. Grana secured his 24th save of the season with two strikeouts and one hit allowed in 2/3 of an inning.
The Chiefs get a day off before hosting Kane County in the first playoff game since 2009. The Chiefs will pitch Jack Flaherty (9-3, 2.84) in the first of a best-of-three series at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Dozer Park.
