By WJBC Staff
Eastlake, OH – The Peoria Chiefs were shutout for the second time in five games and swept by the Lake County Captains 4-0 in game two of Sunday’s doubleheader. The Captains, who won the opener 6-2, earn both the doubleheader and series sweep as the Chiefs fall to 9-14 on the season with a 1-5 roadtrip.
Game 1
Eastlake, OH – The Peoria Chiefs left the bases loaded twice and allowed four runs in the sixth inning in a 6-2 loss in game one.
The Chiefs fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning as the Captains shortstop Willi Castro slugged a solo home run to right field on a full count with one out. The homer, off Junior Fernandez, was the first allowed by any Chiefs pitcher since April 16.
Lake County doubled their lead in the third inning with an unearned run. Ka’ai Tom walked with two outs and Castro struck out swinging but was safe at first on a passed ball by Chris Chinea. With two on and two outs, Tyler Krieger made the Chiefs pay with a RBI single to left for a 2-0 Lake County lead.
The Chiefs finally got on the board and knocked out Sam Hentges in the fifth inning. Chris Chinea led off with a walk and he scored from first with two outs on a double to the left-field wall by Leo Pina. Craig Aikin walked and Dominic DeMasi came in out of the Captains bullpen. He walked Eli Alvarez to load the bases before Sam Haggerty made a diving play at second base to take a hit away from Edmundo Sosa and end the inning with the Chiefs down 2-1. The Chiefs had first and second with nobody out and the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth but didn’t score against DeMasi.
Lake County put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth. Krieger tripled to center off Fernandez to start the inning and Tyler Bray came in out of the Peoria bullpen. Lake County went on top 3-1 on a RBI groundout from Martin Cervenka before Connor Marabell doubled to left. Anthony Miller reached on an error before Haggerty and Yonathan Mendoza delivered consecutive run-scoring singles. Bobby Ison put the Captains on top 6-1 with a single to center. Luke Harrison replaced Bray and after a walk loaded the bases, he got an inning-ending double play.
The Chiefs scored the final run of the game in the top of the seventh against reliever Yoiber Marquina. Aikin walked and moved to second on a groundout before taking third on a wild pitch. Sosa walked and Aikin scored on a sacrifice fly by Magneuris Sierra the cut the deficit to 6-2.
Fernandez (2-2) took the loss allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits over five innings plus a batter in the sixth. The righty struck out seven and walked two. Bray allowed three runs, two earned on four hits in just 1/3 of an inning. Harrison issued a walk and induced a double play while facing two batters.
Game 2
The Chiefs had the first chance to score in the second inning. Casey Turgeon doubled to right with one out against Brock Hartson and Vaughn Bryan followed with an infield single. With runners on the corners, Dylan Becker flew out to left and Turgeon was out at the plate to end the inning on a strong through by Ka’ai Tom. The Chiefs did not have another base runner in the game.
Brennan Leitao kept the Captains off the board through three innings. In the fourth inning Tyler Krieger singled with one out and moved to third on a stolen base and wild pitch. Martin Cervenka’s sacrifice fly to center field scored Krieger for a 1-0 Captains lead.
The Chiefs offense couldn’t get anything else going against Hartson or reliever Matt Whitehouse. Lake County added on in the sixth as Willi Castro singled to start the inning and Cervenka doubled with one out. Connor Marabell’s two-run single to right scored both runners for a 3-0 lead and Stephen De La Cruz took over on the mound for Leitao. A single and a sacrifice fly gave the Captains a 4-0 lead.
Leitao (1-2) took the loss allowing four runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two and did not issue a walk. De La Cruz allowed one hit and picked up a strikeout in 2/3 of an inning.
