MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Six Run First Too Much For Chiefs to Overcome Tuesday

Published on May 31, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Lansing, MI - The Peoria Chiefs fell behind by six runs in the first inning and a late rally fell short in an 8-4 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts on Tuesday night to start a three-game series. The loss, their fourth in five games on this roadtrip, drops the Chiefs to 28-24 on the season and 10-16 on the road.

Lansing jumped all over the Chiefs and Hayden Simpson did not survive the first inning. Markus Brisker drew a leadoff walk and stole second before Carlos Perez made it 2-0 with a long home run over the 400 foot center field wall. Kevin Nolan drew a walk, stole second and scored on two straight wild pitches for a 3-0 lead before Simpson struck out Lance Durham. Marcus Knecht doubled to left and with two down, Michael Crouse drew a walk. Eric Jokisch replaced Simpson and Bryson Namba hit a 3-run homer over the left-field berm for a 6-0 Lansing lead. Gustavo Pierre drew a walk and Brisker singled before Jokisch finished off the inning.

Lansing added to their lead with another home run in the fourth. The solo shot by Nolan off Jokisch as the first of the season for the Lugnuts' second baseman and put the Chiefs in a 7-0 hole.

Peoria finally got the offense going against reliever Marcus Walden in the eighth inning. Arismendy Alcantara led off with a walk and was forced at second on a grounder by Matt Szczur. Elliot Soto singled and with two outs, Richard Jones drove in two runs with a double to center. Ryan Cuneo made it 7-3 with a double to right and he came home on a single by Anthony Giansanti. Lansing closer Steve Turnbull replaced Walden and struck out Sergio Burruel to end the inning with the tying run in the on-deck circle.

Lansing grabbed an important insurance run in the ninth off reliever Yohan Gonzalez. Brisker led off with a tripled off the base of the right-field wall and Perez walked. Nolan bounced into a 6-4-3 double play but Brisker scored for the 8-4 Lugnuts lead.

Simpson (1-2) allowed five runs on two hits and three walks over just 2/3 of an inning. He gave up a homer and threw two wild pitches in his shortest start of the season. Jokisch allowed two runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings while walking two and striking out four. Larry Suarez was very good with five strikeouts and one walk over three hitless and shutout innings. Gonzalez allowed a run on one hit and one walk with a strikeout in his one inning.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Richard Jones (DH) - Jones singled in the first, fourth and sixth before hitting a two-run double in the eighth. The left-handed hitter is now hitting .314 on the season with 13 doubles and he is 9-for-17 on the road trip.

Notes: Rohan has an 12-game hit streak with his first inning single...He also had a 12-game hit streak in April...The Chiefs are 3-11 on the road since sweeping Clinton April 25-27... Simpson and Jokisch combined to throw 55 pitches in the first inning, 37 by Simpson who had the shortest outing of his career...Jokisch has allowed seven homers on the season, six on the road...Lansing was just 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position but both hits were homers in the first inning...The Chiefs have walked 15 batters in the last two games...Jones has two four-hit games on the season and his now batting .314 giving the Chiefs three batters in the MWL's top 10 as Rohan is hitting .344 and Szczur .331...The Chiefs finish May 16-14, their first winning May since a 17-11 mark in 2006...The Chiefs have lost five straight series opener's on the road and overall are 7-10 in the first of a series but just 2-7 on the road...The Chiefs are in a 12 game stretch against the Eastern Division...In a format that began last season, teams from the West play teams from the East just three games all season so Lansing will not come to Peoria in 2011...Last season the Chiefs on two of three from the Lugnuts in Peoria...This was the first game back in Lansing for Casey Kopitzke who played in 68 games as the Lugnuts catcher in 2000 when the team was affiliated with the Cubs...The Chiefs are 19-21 all-time against Toronto Blue Jays affiliates and just 18-37 all time in the regular season at Lansing... The series continues at 7:05 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday as the Chiefs LH Austin Kirk (3-2, 2.06) to the hill against Lugnuts RH Casey Lawrence (4-5, 3.74)... broadcast can be heard, starting with the pre-game show at 5:50 p.m. Central time on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for an iPhone/iPad app and a Droid app.

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Midwest League Stories from May 31, 2011


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