Chiefs finish sweep of Kane County

Posted on May 27, 2016

By WJBC Staff

PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs finished a seven-game homestand with a 4-3 win and a sweep of the Kane County Cougars Thursday night. The win improves the Chiefs to 24-22 on the season as they jump into third place after a 4-3 homestand.

The Chiefs sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of second inning against starter Bo Takahashi and reliever Keegan Long. Vaughn Bryan led things off with double but was picked off for the first out of the frame. Jose Godoy walked, Leo Pina singles to center and Dylan Becker drove in Godoy with a single for a 1-0 lead. With two outs Thomas Spitz walked to load the bases and Edmundo Sosa was hit by a pitch scoring Pina for a 2-0 lead. Long replaced Takahashi on the mound and the Chiefs stranded the bases loaded.

The Cougars answered in the top of the third against Chiefs starter Ryan Helsley. With one out Jason Morozowski singled to right and he moved to third on a single by Galli Cribbs. Zach Nehrir tied the game with a single to center before Helsley escaped the inning with a flyout and strikeout. Kane County threatened to take the lead in the fourth with a single, hit batter and a wild pitch. But with runners at second and third, Helsley recorded a strikeout, got a flyout and another strikeout to keep the game tied.

The Chiefs took the lead for good in the seventh against Drew Muren. Spitz legged out an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Sergio Alcantara. Sosa’s grounder to shortstop took a bad hop over Alcantara’s head and went into center as Spitz scored for a 3-2 Chiefs lead. After a pitching change, Sosa moved to second on a wild pitch with two outs and Chris Chinea gave the Chiefs a 4-2 lead with a single to right.

Brady Bowen took over for Ryan Helsley in the top of the eighth. With one out, Nehrir singled and advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Joey Armstrong’s single. Luke Harrison pitched the ninth and retired the Cougars in order on six pitches to preserve the Chiefs 4-3 win.

Helsley (3-1) earned the win as he pitched a career-high seven innings allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Bowen gave up a run on two hits and recorded a strikeout in one inning of relief. Harrison picked up his second save of the season pitching a perfect inning.

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