Errors Plague Chiefs Loss Again on Sunday
Published on August 17, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Clinton, IA -The Peoria Chiefs allowed three more unearned runs and fell to the Clinton LumberKings 8-5 Sunday afternoon despite a pair of home runs and four RBI from Rebel Ridling. The loss drops the Chiefs to 26-29 on the half with 14 games remaining as they head home for a pair against Clinton.
Peoria again took an early lead as they scored in the second against Clinton lefty Tim Murphy. Ridling powered a two-out solo home run completely out of the ballpark to left field. The blast gives Ridling seven homers on the season and three in his last three starts.
Josh Whitlock held the lead until the bottom of the third. After two quick outs, Whitlock issued back-to-back walks to Engel Beltre and Matt Lawson. Tim Smith extended his hit streak to 17 games with a two-run triple to right-center for a 2-1 Clinton lead. Mitch Moreland followed with a double to left-center as Smith scored for a 3-1 LumberKings lead before Whitlock got out of the inning.
The Chiefs cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth. Jovan Rosa led off with a single and moved to second on a one-out single by Luis Bautista. A wild pitch moved both runners up 90 feet, and Ridling drove Rosa home with a groundout to shortstop. With the tying run at second, Murphy struck out Dylan Johnston to end the inning.
Peoria again let Murphy off the hook in the fifth inning. Elvis Lara drew a leadoff walk and was promptly picked off first by Murphy. Mario Mercedes drew a walk of his own and was forced out at second on a grounder by Josh Harrison. Harrison moved to third on a single by Nate Samson and Samson stole second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Clinton blew the game open with three unearned runs in the sixth inning. Reliever Jose Pina racked up two quick outs and then got Smith to hit a harmless grounder to second. But Harrison bobbled the ball and then threw late to first for his third error of the series. Moreland followed with his 16th home run of the season to give the L-Kings a 5-2 lead. Jonathan Greene doubled off the centerfield wall and moved to third on a wild pitch. Greene scored for a 6-2 Clinton lead when Santana struck out swinging but reached first on another Pina wild pitch.
Peoria finally got a hit with a runner in scoring position to close the gap in the seventh. Lara led off with a single against Fabio Castillo and moved to second on a passed ball. A groundout advanced Lara to third and he scored on a two-out single by Samson. With the Chiefs down 6-3, Castillo struck out Rosa to end the inning.
Moreland brought the run right back to Clinton in the bottom of the seventh as he greeted Jake Muyco with a solo homer into the right-field Lumber Lounge. The homer was Moreland's second of the game and extends his MWL RBI total to 92.
Ridling continued to provide all the Chiefs power and offense in the eighth. With Guyer at first and one out, Ridling blasted a two-run shot to left against Clinton reliever Joseph Ortiz. Ridling is the fifth Chiefs player to hit more than one homer in a game this season and the first since July 4.
Clinton again answered the Chiefs run in their half of the eighth. A miscommunication between Guyer and Lara in right-center allowed Carlos Dominguez to reach on an error to start the inning. A single by Miguel Alfonzo and a fielders choice put two on with one out. Beltre made it 8-5 with a single to center and Muyco hit Smith with a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Muyco got Moreland to flyout to center to end the inning with the Chiefs down three.
Peoria came out swinging in the ninth but fell short once again. Harrison led off with a single and moved to second as Rosa walked with one out. Ortiz balked both runners up one base before Guyer struck out swinging. With Ridling's hot bat on the on-deck circle as the go-ahead run, Bautista bounced out to third to end the game. Whitlock (0-2) takes the loss after allowing three runs on three extra-base hits over his three innings of work. He walked two and struck out three in his second straight loss. Jose Pina allowed three unearned runs on four hits in his three innings of work while striking out four and allowing a home run. Muyco also allowed a home run and surrendered two runs on three hits over two innings while striking out one.
Player of the Game - Rebel Ridling (LF) - Ridling drove in four of the Chiefs five runs and homered twice in the 8-5 loss. He also made his first career putouts in left field while finishing 2-for-4 at the plate. He hit a solo homer in the second and two-run shot in the seventh while also driving in a run in the fourth with a groundout.
Playoff Watch: With 14 games remaining in the regular season, the Chiefs are in a five-team battle for two second half Western Division playoff spots. Peoria started the day four games behind Cedar Rapids for the wild card with the Kernels hosting Beloit late Sunday. The Chiefs are done playing Burlington, Quad Cities and Beloit while they have a four game series against Cedar Rapids at O'Brien Field August 21-24. The Chiefs will also play 10 against Clinton and Kane County, the two first-half playoff qualifiers.
Midwest League Stories from August 17, 2008
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- Moreland Steals Show in Murphy's Debut - Clinton LumberKings
- Cougars Keep Rolling vs. Rattlers - Kane County Cougars
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- Errors Plague Chiefs Loss Again on Sunday - Peoria Chiefs
- Early home runs set tone in Whitecaps win - West Michigan Whitecaps
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