Chiefs score in 8th to top Bees

Posted on June 17, 2016

By WJBC Staff

PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs reduced their magic number for a playoff spot to two with a 4-3 victory over the Burlington Bees Thursday night. The win improves the Chiefs to 37-30 and eliminates the Bees from playoff contention. The Chiefs will clinch a playoff spot Friday with a home win over Burlington and a Cedar Rapids loss at Quad Cities.

Burlington struck early in the top of the first inning against Chiefs starter Sandy Alcantara. A one-out single by Angelo Amendolare and a double by Brendan Sanger put runners at second and third. With two outs Michael Hermosillo tripled in both runners to give the Bees a 2-0 lead.

The Chiefs bounced back in their half of the third against Burlington starter Ronnie Glenn. Magnueris Sierra singled to start the inning and Edmundo Sosa singled to center. One out later, Brian O’Keefe doubled to the wall in right-center field to tie the game 2-2. O’Keefe was left at second as Glenn escaped the inning with consecutive groundouts.

The Chiefs took the lead in the fourth. Vaughn Bryan doubled and moved to third on a one-out grounder to second. With Sierra batting, Glenn uncorked a wild pitch and Bryan scored for a 3-2 Chiefs lead.

Burlington scratched across a run against Chiefs reliever Brennan Leitao in the top of the sixth. With one out Michael Pierson singled and Tanner Lubach reached on a fielders’ choice error to put runners at first and second. Jared Foster drove in Pierson with a line drive to center tying the game at 3-3. Leitao retired the next two hitters to keep the game tied.

The Chiefs regained the lead against Burlington reliever Winston Lavender in the eighth inning. RJ Dennard reached on a throwing error and was awarded second as the ball ended up in the stands. Bryan singled home Dennard for the go-ahead run and the Chiefs led 4-3. Leitao shut down the Bees in order in the ninth for the victory.

Alcantara got a no-decision after leaving with the lead. He allowed two runs on six hits, struck out 12 and walked three through five innings. Leitao (4-6) got the win while allowing one unearned run on two hits while striking out five in four innings of relief.

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