By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs erased two different two-run deficits with Paul DeJong home runs before eventually falling 6-4 in 10 innings to the Burlington Bees Wednesday night.
The loss drops the Chiefs to 40-25 in the second half and 73-60 overall with two games remaining in the series with Burlington. The Bees scored first in the first against Chiefs starter Dewin Perez. Ayendy Perez led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a passed ball. He scored on a double by Zach Houchins for the 1-0 Burlington lead.
The Chiefs got even in the bottom of the first against Bees starter Austin Robichaux. Darren Seferina led off with a walk and moved to second on an errant pickoff throw before Oscar Mercado was hit by a pitch. Seferina advanced to third when DeJong grounded into a double play and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-1.
Peoria took the lead with another run in the second inning. Luis Cruz, Steve Bean, and Kenny Peoples-Walls started the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. Cruz scored when Derek Gibson hit an infield single to give the Chiefs a 2-1 lead but a double play and a groundout ended the threat.
The Bees retook the lead in the top of the third. Perez led off with a walk and advanced to third on a single by Tim Arakawa. Arakawa advanced to third and Perez scored on a single by Taylor Ward for the 2-2 score. Ward advanced to second on the throw home after his single and he moved to third when Arakawa scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2. Ward scored from third when Houchins singled throught the drawn-in Peoria infield for the 4-2 Burlington lead.
The Chiefs got even in the seventh against new Bees hurler Eric Alonso. Gibson led off with a bunt single and was forced out at second when Seferina reached on a fielder’s choice. Seferina was along for the ride when DeJong crushed a home run to left field to tie the game 4-4.
The Bees took the lead right back in the top of the eighth against Chiefs reliever Steve Sabatino. Nick Flair led off the eighth with a solo home run to left for the 5-4 Burlington lead. Brandon Gildea singled and advanced to second when Ward walked against new Chiefs pitcher Jery Then. Gildea scored on a Chiefs error when Houchins singled to left for the 6-4 Bees lead.
The Chiefs tied the game in the ninth against Burlington closer Jordan Piche. Seferina walked and with two outs DeJong lifted his second home run of the night down the right field line to tie the game 6-6.
Burlington retook the lead in the top of the tenth against new Chiefs pitcher Nick Frey. Gildea led off with a single and he was erased on a fielder’s choice groundout by Perez. Perez scored from first on a double by Arakawa and Arakawa came home on a double by Ward for the 6-4 Burlington lead.
Perez started and worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits and five walks, striking out seven. Tyler Bray pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings, surrendering two hits and striking out three. Sabatino pitched two thirds of an inning and allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits, striking out one. Then went 1 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk, striking out one. Frey (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in one inning of work.
