By WJBC Staff
CLINTON, Iowa – The Peoria Chiefs were shutout 4-0 by the Clinton LumberKings in game one of the Midwest League First Round playoff series on Wednesday night. The series shifts to Peoria for game two on Thursday night and if the Chiefs win, game three will be at Dozer Park on Friday.
After the game’s first 10 batters were retired, Alex Jackson beat out an infield single to give Clinton a base runner in the bottom of the second. Connor Hale hit a potential inning-ending double play ball but it hit Chiefs pitcher Jake Woodford in the foot and rolled toward right field for a single. With runners on the corners, James Alfonso put Clinton on top 1-0 with a sacrifice fly to right. After a walk, Woodford escaped the jam when Rayder Ascanio flew out to center.
The Chiefs got their first base runners in the third inning as Leo Pina led off with a single against Nick Neidert. Carlos Torres followed with a single but Craig Aikin grounded into a 4-6-3 double play and Magneuris Sierra struck out looking to end the inning.
Peoria threatened again in the fourth inning as Brian O’Keefe drew a two-out walk and Chris Chinea singled to right-center. With runners on the corners Neidert struck out Jose Godoy to end the inning with Clinton on top 1-0.
Clinton extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth against Woodford. Logan Taylor singled and moved to third with one out on a single by Hale. Alfonso hit a groundball to shortstop but the Chiefs couldn’t turn the double play as Taylor scored for the 2-0 lead.
The Chiefs went in order for three straight innings against Neidert. Clinton loaded the bases against reliever Davis Ward in the sixth but Tyler Bray got three straight outs to strand all three runners. Clinton extended the lead in the seventh against Bray along with some help from the Chiefs defense. Luis Liberato singled with one out and moved to second on a balk by Bray. Dalton Kelly singled to left and Liberato scored as Aikin’s throw bounced past O’Keefe. With Kelly at third base and two outs, Jackson reached on a throwing error by Pina for a 4-0 Clinton lead.
The Chiefs didn’t after Chinea’s two-out single in the fourth. Three Clinton pitchers combined to retire 15 Chiefs in a row before Eli Alvarez walked with two outs in the ninth. Matt Walker ended the game as he struck out O’Keefe swinging.
Woodford (0-1) took the loss as he allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. The Opening Day starter walked one and struck out five. Ward faced three batters and gave up three singles. Bray allowed two runs, one earned on two hits while walking one and striking out two over two innings. Harley Holt allowed two hits and struck out two in a scoreless inning.
