Sierra drives in 3 as Chiefs beat Clinton

Posted on July 2, 2016

By WJBC Staff

PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs got a home run and three RBI from Magneuris Sierra to beat the Clinton LumberKings 5-4 on Friday night in the opener of a seven-game home stand. The win, their second in a row, moves the Chiefs to 4-5 in the second half and 44-35 on the season.

The game was scoreless into the third inning when the Chiefs broke through against Clinton starter Jeffeson Medina. Dylan Becker led off with a single and with one out, Magneuris Sierra launched his second home run of the season. The blast, which landed in the HyVee Home Run Landing, put the Chiefs on top 2-0. Edmundo Sosa was hit by a pitch before Jose Godoy and Brian O’Keefe collected singles to load the bases. RJ Dennard’s sacrifice fly to the wall in right field brought home Sosa for a 3-0 Chiefs lead before Medina got out of the inning.

With help from the Chiefs defense, Clinton tied the game against Junior Fernandez in the fourth. Fernandez recorded his fifth strikeout of the night to start the inning but as he struck out Rayder Ascanio, the ball got away and the LumberKings had their first base runner of the night. An error by Becker on a double play ball put runners at first and third with one out. Alex Jackson cut the Chiefs lead to 3-1 with a double and Connor Hale tied the game with a single to left.

The Chiefs came right back to regain the lead in the bottom of the inning. Becker walked with one out and Craig Aikin doubled into the left field corner. Sierra drove a fly ball to the warning track in right-center for sacrifice fly and a 4-3 lead. Sosa singled off the pitcher’s glove as Aikin scored from third for a 5-3 Chiefs lead.

Fernandez cruised through the fifth inning and recorded the first two outs of the sixth as well. But Hale touched him up for a solo home run into the left field berm to cut the Chiefs lead to 5-4 before Nick Frey got the final out of the inning. Frey, Steven Gallardo and Steven De La Cruz blanked the LumberKings the rest of the way to preserve the 5-4 win.

Fernandez (6-5) allowed four runs, one earned, on five hits over six innings to earn the win. He struck out seven and did not issue a walk while allowing a home run. Frey allowed one hit over 1 1/3 shutout innings. Gallardo struck out two over a perfect inning in his return from the disabled list. De La Cruz hit a batter but threw a scoreless and hitless inning to earn his third save.

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