Chiefs fall in extras to Beloit

Posted on May 23, 2016

By WJBC Staff

PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs tied the game in the eighth inning but lost 3-1 in 11 innings to the Beloit Snappers on Sunday in front of a season-high 6,893 fans.

The loss evens the Chiefs record to 21-21 on the season with the finale of the series Monday at 11:00 am.

The Snappers broke the 0-0 tie against Chiefs starter Derian Gonzalez in the top of the fifth inning. Jean Carlo Rodriguez walked with two outs, Tom Gavittt singled and Justin Higley drove in Rodriguez with a single to right for a 1-0 Snappers lead.

Thomas Spitz singled in the bottom of the second before Beloit starter James Naile retired the next 14 Chiefs hitters. The Chiefs finally got base runners in the bottom of the seventh when Eli Alvarez singled to left with one out. RJ Dennard followed with a single to right but Brian O’Keefe grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the rally.

The Chiefs continued to battle in the bottom of the eighth against Naile. With two outs and Spitz on first, Craig Aikin tripled to center field to tie the game 1-1. Magneuris Sierra was barely out at first base on a bang-bang play to end the inning as Beloit kept the game tied.

Stephen De La Cruz ran into trouble in the 11^th inning as Higley led off with a double and Edwin Diaz singled to left to put runners on the corners. Diaz made a base running mistake on a grounder from Skye Bolt as the Chiefs turned a double play with Higley staying at third. De La Cruz got ahead of Chris Iriart 0-and-2 but the Snappers DH launched his third home run of the series for a 3-1 Snappers. Lead. The Chiefs went in order in the bottom of the 11^th for the Sunday loss.

Gonzalez took a no-decision as he allowed one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out eight. Tyler Bray allowed one walk over 2 1/3 hitless and shutout innings as he struck out three. De La Cruz (2-1) was tagged with the loss after pitching 1 1/3 innings giving up two runs on four hits. Jorge Rodriguez walked one in 1/3 of a shutout and hitless inning.

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