By WJBC Staff
BURLINGTON, Iowa – The Peoria Chiefs scored three runs in the eighth inning to beat the Burlington Bees 6-4 on Thursday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 1-1 in the second half and 41-31 overall with two games left in the series.
The Chiefs got the offense going in the top of the first against Bees starter Joe Gatto. Craig Aikin led off with a single to right and Edmundo Sosa singled to put two runners on base. Brendon Sanger committed an error on a potential double play ball and Aikin scored from second for a 1-0 Chiefs lead. Sosa was thrown out at the plate on a fielders’ choice grounder to third before Vaughn Bryan singled to load the bases. Thomas Spitz beat out a double play ball by a half step and Godoy scored to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. Spitz stole second and RJ Dennard walked to load the bases but Leo Pina flew out to end the inning.
Burlington responded immediately against Brennan Leitao with help from the Chiefs defense. Jake Yacinich reached on an error by Dennard at first base and Jordan Serena singled to left. With one out, Pina committed an error at third and Aikin’s throw home from left field was dropped as Yacinich scored. The error was charged to Godoy at the plate as Serena took third and Jared Foster moved to second. Serena scored on a groundout to tie the game and Ranyelmy Alberto singled home Foster for a 3-2 Bees lead. Burlington left a runner on base but scored three unearned runs on three Chiefs errors in the innings.
The Chiefs tied the game against reliever Eury Sanchez in the sixth inning. Bryan led off with a double and moved to third in a groundout. With two down in the inning he scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 3-3.
Godoy doubled to start the eighth inning and Sanchez walked O’Keefe before former Chiefs pitcher Jhonny Polanco took over on the mound. With one out, Godoy scored on an error at third base for a 4-3 Chiefs lead and Spitz went to second on the throw. Polanco walked Dennard to load the bases before Pina struck out looking. Dylan Becker drew a bases loaded walk to give the Chiefs a 5-3 lead and Aikin walked to force home Spitz for a three-run lead.
Burlington scored a run in the ninth against reliever Nick Frey. After a double play, Alberto singled, took second on indifference and scored on a single by Walsh to cut the Chiefs lead to 6-4. Frey got Webster Rivas to ground out to end the game.
Leitao allowed three runs, all unearned, on 11 hits over 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two in the no-decision. Former Chiefs catcher turned pitcher Gerwuins Velazco (1-0) earned the win in his 2016 MWL debut. He allowed one hit and walked two in 1 2/3 innings while recording a strikeout. Frey allowed one run on three hits over one inning to earn the save.
