Peoria, IL – The Peoria Chiefs nearly blew a 4-0, two-out ninth-inning lead but the Great Lakes Loons left the bases loaded to end the game after scoring three times in a 4-3 Chiefs win Saturday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 12-11 in the second half and 52-41 overall with two games left in the homestand.
The Chiefs collected three hits against Loons starter Michael Boyle in the bottom of the first but didn’t score. Magneuris Sierra was thrown out trying to steal for a league-tying 11th time and after two more singles, Brian O’Keefe hit into an inning-ending double play.
Peoria broke through in the second inning for their first run in two games. Leo Pina led off with a single and with one out RJ Dennard hit a fly ball that appeared to clear the yellow line in left for a home run. However the ball bounced back into left and was ruled a single despite arguments from Chiefs manager Joe Kruzel. After a fielders choice left runner on the corners, Craig Aikin blooped a RBI single to left for a 1-0 Chiefs lead. The RBI gave the Chiefs their first run-scoring hit since Eli Alvarez’s home run on Monday in Wisconsin, a span of 25 innings.
The Chiefs extended the lead in the third inning when Edmundo Sosa launched his third home run of the season into the left-field berm for a 2-0 lead. The home run was the first for the Chiefs during this homestand.
Peoria doubled the lead while knocking Boyle from the contest in the fifth. Sosa singled with one out and Alvarez singled to left. Boyle balked to move both runners into scoring position before O’Keefe popped up. Leo Pina delivered a two-run single to center field for a 4-0 Chiefs lead as Sosa and Alvarez scored easily. Great Lakes went to the bullpen and the Chiefs loaded the bases with singles from Jose Godoy and Dennard but Carlos Torres ended the inning with a groundout to third.
The Chiefs took a 4-0 lead into the ninth and Harley Holt got two quick outs and it appeared the Chiefs would have an eighth shutout on the season. But Holt walked Omar Estevez and Luke Raley drilled a RBI double to right-center while advancing to third on a throwing error by Alvarez. Stephen De La Cruz came in and promptly gave up a two-run homer to Noah Perio as the Loons cut the 4-0 lead to 4-3. Matt Jones singled, Logan Landon singled and Erick Meza walked to load the bases. With the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second, Gage Green struck out swinging to end the game.
Derian Gonzalez came off the DL Saturday and made his first appearance since June 15. He faced nine batters and retired them all on 33 pitches with two strikeouts. Jorge Rodriguez (2-1) picked up the win as he allowed three hits over four shutout innings with one walk and four strikeouts. Holt allowed two runs on two hits, one walk and three strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings. De La Cruz picked up his fifth save as he allowed one run on three hits and a walk with a strikeout in 1/3 of an inning.
