By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs ended a three-game losing skid Monday night beating the Bowling Green Hot Rods 5-4. With the win the Chiefs improve to 10-14 on the season and play game of two of their three-game series at Dozer Park against the Hot Rods on Tuesday.
The Chiefs fell behind early in the third inning when the first three batters to face Derian Gonzalez reached base. Brandon Lowe singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Angel Perez reached on a fielders’ choice when Gonzalez threw low and late to second base. Zacrey Lowe attempted to sacrifice but beat the throw to first for a single that loaded the bases. Gonzalez got Jake Cronenworth to hit a comebacker but the Chiefs pitcher threw wild to the plate allowing Perez and Lowe to score as the Hot Rods led 2-0. Kevin Paldo was intentionally walked before the Chiefs got consecutive outs at the plate on fielders’ choices to third and the mound. A wild pitch plated the third run of the inning as the Chiefs fell behind 3-0.
The Chiefs answered in the bottom of the third inning against Hot Rods starter Jose Mujica. A one-out double by Edmundo Sosa and a triple by Magneuris Sierra cut the lead to 3-1. Chris Chinea walked to put runners at the corners for RJ Dennard and a sac fly brought the Chiefs to within a run. The Chiefs tied the game in the fourth as Vaughn Bryan tripled and scored on a Craig Aikin groundout.
Bowling Green regained the lead against Gonzalez in the fifth as Cronenworth walked and moved up two bases on consecutive wild pitches. A single to center with one out by Michael Russell put the visitors on top 4-3.
The Chiefs tied the game against reliever Reece Karalus in the bottom of the sixth. Dylan Becker’s first career triple with one out put the tying run in scoring position. With two outs, second baseman Brandon Lowe made a fielder error on a ball hit by Akin as Becker scored the tying run.
In the seventh the Chiefs got some help as Perez fell down on a fly ball by Eli Alvarez and the Chiefs leadoff man ended up at second base with a leadoff double. With two outs, Chinea put the Chiefs on top 5-4 with a double to the wall in left-center.
Gonzalez got a no-decision as he allowed four runs, two earned, on three hits and four walks over five innings. He struck out just one and threw four wild pitches. Nick Frey (1-1) got the win with two shutout innings in which he allowed two hits. Landon Beck pick up his second save of the season with four strikeouts over two perfect innings.
