By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs hit three home runs in a game for the second time this season to beat the Burlington Bees 7-2 Monday night. The win improves the Chiefs to 5-7 in the second half and 38-42 overall with one game remaining on the current home stand.
The Chiefs started the scoring in the first inning against Burlington starter Austin Robichaux. With one out Andrew Sohn singled and immediately stole second base. Sohn scored when Nick Thompson powered his eighth home run of the year over the left-center field wall to make it 2-0.
The Bees tied the game in the second against Chiefs hurler Austin Gomber. Nick Flair and Zach Houchins started the inning with back-to-back walks and both advanced on a groundout. Gomber struck out Steve Mateo but Flair and Houchins scored on a single by Erick Salcedo to tie the game 2-2.
Peoria retook the lead in the bottom of the third when Andrew Sohn drilled the inning’s first pitch from Robichaux into the left field berm for the 3-2 Chiefs lead. The inning continued with a walk by Thompson and a two-run home run to right by Alex DeLeon to make it 5-2.
The Chiefs kept adding to their lead in the sixth against new Bees pitcher Eric Alonzo. Kenny Peoples-Walls and Jhohan Acevedo started the inning with back-to-back singles and with two outs both men moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Both runners scored on a single by Oscar Mercado to make it 7-2.
Gomber (8-3) pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks, striking out three. Nick Frey pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out one. Kevin Alexander made his first Chiefs appearance since he was struck by a line drive May 20 against Cedar Rapids and pitched a perfect ninth, striking out one.
