By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs got 6 2/3 quality innings from Jack Flaherty and a home run from Harrison Bader to beat the Burlington Bees 5-3 Thursday night.
The win improves Peoria to 41-25 in the second half and 74-60 overall with four games left in the regular season.
The Chiefs started the scoring in the bottom of the first against Burlington starter Jake Jewell. Darren Seferina led off with an infield single and he scored when Harrison Bader drilled a home run to left for the 2-0 lead.
The Bees tied the game in the third against Chiefs starter Jack Flaherty. With one out Trever Allen singled and advanced to second on a single by Ayendy Perez. Allen scored and Perez moved to third on a single by David Fletcher to make it 2-1. Fletcher went to second when Perez was tagged out trying to score on a pitch in the dirt and scored on a single by Tim Arakawa to make it 2-2.
The Chiefs got the lead again in the fourth inning. Nick Thompson led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a groundout by Luis Cruz. He scored on a double by Steve Bean for the 3-2 Chiefs lead. Josh Swirchak’s line drive hit Jewell in the back for an infield single, Jewell threw wildly to first, allowing Bean to score for the 4-2 lead.
The Chiefs added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Bader was hit by a pitch, stole second, and moved to third on a groundout by Brian O’Keefe. Bader scored on a single by Thompson for the 5-2 Chiefs lead.
Burlington got a lone run back in the sixth. Fletcher singled, advanced to second on a groundout by Taylor Ward and scored on a double by Zach Houchins for the 5-3 score.
Flaherty (9-3) got the win with 6 2/3 innings of work, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out seven. Nick Lomascolo pitched 1 1/3 hitless, shutout innings, walking two and striking out three. Kyle Grana earned his team-leading 23rd save with a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and striking out one.
