By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs scored four runs in the second inning and never looked back as they beat the Quad Cities River Bandits 7-1 Sunday afternoon. The win improves the Chiefs to 4-7 in the second half and 37-42 overall on the season with two games remaining on the current home stand.
The Chiefs got the scoring started in the second inning against River Bandits starter Brandon McNitt. Nick Thompson led off with a single through the middle and Alex DeLeon blasted a two-run homer to left-center for the 2-0 Chiefs lead. The home run gives DeLeon seven home runs and 26 RBI on the season. The inning continued with a single by Luis Cruz and a walk by Kenny Peoples-Walls. Cruz scored from second on an infield single by Jhohan Acevedo and Peoples-Walls came home on a single by Andrew Sohn for the 4-0 Chiefs lead.
The Chiefs added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Jake Gronsky led off with a walk and moved to third on a double by Peoples-Walls. Gronsky scored on a sacrifice fly by Acevedo and Peoples-Walls came home on a single by Darren Seferina to make it 6-0.
The Chiefs kept adding on with an insurance run in the sixth. Peoples-Walls led off and reached on an error. He went to second when Seferina walked and both men advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Peoples-Walls scored on a groundout by Andrew Sohn to make it 7-0.
The River Bandits added an unearned run in the top of the ninth against new Chiefs hurler Kyle Grana. With two outs Trent Woodward was hit by a pitch and a walk by Kristian Trompiz put runners at first and second. Woodward came around to score on an error by Chiefs shortstop Oscar Mercado to make it 7-1.
Luis Perdomo (4-7) went eight shutout innings and allowed five hits and one walk, striking out eight. Grana came on to pitch the ninth and pitched one inning, allowing an unearned run, walking one and hitting a batter.
