Pearce Has Career Night, Chiefs Sweep Cougars
July 26, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Peoria, IL- The Peoria Chiefs got eight shutout innings from Matt Pearce as they won their fifth consecutive game 4-0 over the first-place Kane County Cougars Sunday night. The win lifts the Chiefs to 54-45 on the season and 21-10 in the second half, only two games behind Kane County for first place in the Western Division.
The game was scoreless through the first four innings before the Chiefs broke through in the fifth against Cougars starter Chris Oliver. Andrew Sohn and Oscar Mercado started the inning with back-to-back singles and Paul DeJong walked to load the bases. After Harrison Bader popped out Alex DeLeon cleared the bases with a double to give the Chiefs the 3-0 lead.
The Chiefs added another run in the sixth against new Kane County pitcher Nick Baker. With one out, Kenny Peoples-Walls crushed the first pitch of the at-bat over the left field wall. The home run is Peoples-Walls' fourth of the season and first at Dozer Park.
When Pearce retired Elvin Soto on a flyout to center for the second out of the seventh he tied the Midwest League record with 45 innings without allowing a walk, and he broke the record when Quinnton Mack also flew to center. Pearce will carry a league-record 46 1/3 inning walk-less streak into his next start.
Pearce (7-9) got the win, going a career-high eight innings of shutout ball, scattering six hits and striking out three. Dixon Llorens came on to work a perfect ninth, striking out one.
Notes: Pearce has not walked a batter in his last 46 1/3 innings, breaking the Midwest league record of 45 innings set by William Castro of Danville in 1973...Pearce has also won each of his last four starts, allowing just two earned runs over 27 innings...The quality start was Pearce's team-leading 10th in 17 starts and the 41st by Chiefs pitchers in 99 games this year...The Chiefs had not swept Kane County since June 2012...Mercado posted three hits for his 24th multi-hit game...Mercado also stole his league-leading 38th base in the sixth inning...Peoples-Walls also had two hits for his fourth multi-hit game of the season...The shutout win is the Peoria's 11th of the season...The five-game win streak is one shy of tying the Chiefs longest of the season, most recently done July 10-16...After starting the month 1-3, the Chiefs have gone 18-3 in their last 21 games...The 19 wins in July are the most in a month since they won 22 in August of 2009 and tied for the fifth most in a month in team history...The Chiefs will enjoy a League-wide off day Monday before traveling to Wisconsin to begin a three-game road series against the Timber Rattlers on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m....The pitching matchup features Peoria RH Luis Perdomo (5-7, 2.89) against Wisconsin RH Cody Ponce (0-1, 1.93)...The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:50 p.m., on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android...The broadcast is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the MiLB Inside the Park and Tune-In Radio Apps.
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Midwest League Stories from July 26, 2015
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