By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – With Cardinals centerfielder Jon Jay batting as the leadoff hitter once again, the Peoria Chiefs surrendered four runs in the third and could not come back in an 8-2 loss to the Clinton LumberKings Wednesday night. The loss puts the Chiefs at 24-23 with five games remaining on the homestand.
The LumberKings got the scoring started against Chiefs righty Matt Pearce in the second. Estarlyn Morales led off with a single and Chantz Mack followed with a double. Morales scored on an RBI groundout by Taylor Zeutenhorst to make it 1-0.
Clinton added four runs in the third to extend their lead. The LumberKings loaded the bases to start the inning and Kristian Brito cleared them with a double. Chantz Mack scored Brito with an RBI double to make it 5-0.
The Chiefs grabbed a run in the bottom half of the inning against LumberKings starter Jeffeson Medina. Luis Cruz walked and moved to third on a single by Andrew Sohn. Jay plated Cruz with an RBI groundout to cut the deficit 5-1. Jay finished the game 0-for-4 for with one RBI in his second rehab game.
The LumberKings plated two more runs in the sixth off Chiefs reliever Nick Frey. Arby Fields doubled, Ascanio walked, and Nelson Ward legged out a two-run triple to make it 7-1 Clinton.
The Chiefs responded in the bottom half of the sixth with a solo homer by Blake Drake to leadoff the inning and cut Clinton’s lead to 7-2. Clinton got that run back in the ensuing frame off the bat of Chris Mariscal who drove home Mack on an RBI single to make it 8-2.
Pearce (3-4) suffered the loss for the Chiefs, pitching five and two-thirds innings and allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out four. Frey pitched two and a third innings of relief allowing three runs on four hits and one walk, striking out one. Jhonny Polanco pitched a scoreless inning allowing one hit and striking out the side.
