By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – Starting pitcher Ryan Helsley struck out a career-high 13 batters and three Peoria Chiefs pitchers combined on a 2-0 shutout of the Beloit Snappers in the regular season home finale Friday night. The win finishes a 45-25 home slate while the Chiefs head to Kane County for a three-game series with a 73-63 record overall.
For the second game in a row the Chiefs jumped out to a first inning lead against the Snappers. Magneuris Sierra singled off Angel Duno and moved to third on a single by Eli Alvarez. Alvarez was thrown out stealing second but Sierra took off on the throw and scored the first run of the game.
Helsley was in command all night. He struck out the side in the first inning on 16 pitches. Brett Siddall doubled to lead off the second but was stranded at third. After the double, Helsley retired the final 17 Snappers batters he faced. He struck out two in the third and fourth while getting the last out of the fifth on a strikeout, his 10th of the night. After striking out one in the fifth, Helsley struck out the first two batters he faced in the sixth and left the game as Harley Holt finished the inning with a strikeout.
The Chiefs got the final run of the game in the third inning with two outs. Alvarez was hit by a pitch and scored all the way from first on Brian O’Keefe’s second double of the game.
Helsley (10-2) got the win with 13 strikeouts as he allowed one hit and no walks over 6 2/3 innings. Holt allowed one hit with one strikeout over 1 1/3 innings. Davis Ward earned his first save with two strikeouts in a perfect ninth inning.
