By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs scored five runs in the first inning and never trailed as they beat the first-place Kane County Cougars 8-5 Friday night. The win is the Chiefs third in a row and lifts them to 19-10 in the second half and 52-45 overall with two games remaining in the current home stand.
The Chiefs started the scoring when Cougars starter Markus Solbach’s first pitch of the night was blasted to the left field concourse by Oscar Mercado. The home run was the third of the season for Mercado, and the Chiefs second leadoff home run of the season. Paul DeJong doubled and with one out Alex DeLeon walked on a full-count pitch. Nick Thompson’s single brought home DeJong for a 2-0 lead. Thompson and DeLeon came home on a double by Brian O’Keefe for the 4-0 lead. O’Keefe advanced to third on a single by Jake Gronsky and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kenny Peoples-Walls for the 5-0 Chiefs lead.
The Chiefs added two more to their lead in the third inning. O’Keefe singled and went to third on a double by Peoples-Walls. Both scored on a single by Andrew Sohn to make it 7-0.
Kane County was hitless through four innings but broke into the hit and run columns in the fifth against Chiefs starter Austin Gomber. Joe Munoz led off with a single and moved to second on a two-out single by Ryan Gebhardt. Munoz and Gebhardt advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch and both scored on a single by Quinnton Mack to make it 7-2.
The Cougars added another run in the sixth. Gomber’s first pitch of the inning was driven over the left field wall by former Chief Ildemaro Vargas to make it 7-3. The home run is Vargas’ third of the season and second against Peoria.
Kane County scored again in the seventh against Gomber. Henry Castillo led off with a single and Michael Perez homered to left to make it a 7-5 game and chase Gomber from the contest.
The Chiefs tacked on an insurance run in the eighth against new Kane County pitcher Cody Geyer. O’Keefe reached first on a Cougars error and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gronsky. O’Keefe moved up to third on a wild pitch and Peoples-Walls walked to put runners at the corners. O’Keefe scored on a single by Sohn to give the Chiefs an 8-5 lead.
Gomber (10-3) got the win, working six innings and allowing five runs on six hits and one walk, striking out five. Jhonny Polanco pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and one walk. Kyle Grana pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings to earn his team-leading 15th save, allowing two hits and one walk.
