Chiefs Back in Wild Card Lead with Shutout Win
August 22, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Grand Chute, WI- The Peoria Chiefs scored eight times in the first four innings and cruised to an 8-0 win Wednesday night over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The 32-26 Chiefs are now back in the Wild Card lead by a half game over Cedar Rapids who had their game rained out against Burlington.
For the second time in the series, the Chiefs scored in the first inning against Wisconsin. With two outs, Jim Adduci and Blake Lalli collected back to back singles off Rattlers starter Anthony Varvaro. With Russ Canzler at the plate, Varvaro threw a pitch in the dirt and Lalli broke for second. When catcher Jair Fernandez threw to second, Adduci broke for the plate and scored when Ron Garth's throw sailed to the backstop. Russ Canzler followed with his 22nd double of the season as the Chiefs took a 2-0 lead.
After Jeremy Papelbon blanked the Rattlers through the first two innings, the Chiefs added to the lead in the third. Adduci led off with a single to left and moved to second on a wild pich with one out. As Canzler drew a walk from Varvaro, Adduci stole third base. Marquez Smith, who drove in three on Tuesday night, drove a single to rightfield as Adduci scored for a 3-0 Chiefs lead.
Peoria knocked Varvaro out of the game and broke the contest open in the fourth inning. Wellington Castillo started the frame with a walk and moved to second on a one-out walk to Ryne Malone. Darwin Barney singled to left as the Chiefs loaded the bases. Rollie Gibson relieved Varvaro and two runs scored on an error by second baseman Ron Garth on a grounder hit by Adduci. Lalli singled to left as Barney scored for a 6-0 lead. Lalli and Adduci pulled off a double steal and Canzler singled home Lalli for a 7-0 Chiefs lead. Smith followed with a RBI double to cap the five run frame and give the Chiefs an eight run lead.
Papelbon threw seven shutout innings to improve to 7-6 on the season and 3-3 as a starter. The lefty allowed just four hits and three walks while striking out six. Jose Ceda struck out four and walked one without allowing a hit in two innings of relief work. Gorman's Pub Player of the Game Jeremy Papelbon (LHP) - Jeremy tied a career high in innings pitched and strikeouts on Wednesday night. He allowed just four hits and picked a runner off base.
Playoff Watch: The top two teams in the division excluding Beloit and Clinton will make the playoffs. With 12 games remaining, the Chiefs are in the Wild Card spot, 4 games behind Quad Cities who were rained out in Clinton and will play two on Thursday. The Chiefs are now 2/ game head of Cedar Rapids in the Wild Card race. Kane County is 2 ½ games back and Burlington 4. The Chiefs have two games (at home) left against Kane County, three games (at home) against Cedar Rapids and two at Quad Cities. The Wild Card team will play Beloit in the first round while the Second Half Champion will play Clinton.
Notes... The Chiefs are 6-4 in Appleton this season and 9-7 against the Timber Rattlers overall with just one game remaining... Peoria has now won the season series against Wisconsin in five of the last six seasons with only 2005 as the exception with the Rattlers lost in the MWL Finals...The Chiefs faced a position player on the mound for the first time all season as DH Leury Bonilla threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning...Jose Ceda has not allowed a hit in 17 innings of relief work this season...The Chiefs are now tied with Burlington for the MWL lead in shutouts with 11...Peoria stole four bases Wednesday and have 10 steals so far in the series...Five Chiefs had multi-hit games and eight starters collected at least one basehit...Wellington Castillo has a six game hit streak...The Chiefs coaching staff enjoyed a 90 minute tour of Lambeau Field earlier in the day...The Chiefs are 0-for-13 over the last seven games with the bases loaded...The four game series in Wisconsin finishes Thursday at 7:05 PM...Chiefs will send newcomer LHP Arik Hempy (0-0, 0.00) to the mound against RHP Steven Richard (5-4, 3.79)...The game can be heard live beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 PM online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350.
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Midwest League Stories from August 22, 2007
- SilverHawks Sink Lugnuts, 6-3 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Peoria Shuts Down Wisconsin - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Chiefs Back in Wild Card Lead with Shutout Win - Peoria Chiefs
- Lizarraga Slams into Record Books - Great Lakes Loons
- Gonzalez Claims Record with 18th Career Win - Dayton Dragons
- Cougars Rained Out in Beloit - Kane County Cougars
- Kernels, Bees Rained Out - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Lizarraga Drives in Six, Loons Roll Past Whitecaps - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Swing, Lumberkings Rained Out - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Snappers Game Postponed Due to Rain - Beloit Sky Carp
- Chiefs Add LHP Hempy from Boise - Peoria Chiefs
- German Released - Great Lakes Loons
- Eighth-Rounder Added To Swing Roster - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Wood Named Pitcher of the Week - Burlington Bees
- LumberKings fell Swing twice - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Lansing and South Bend Split Double Dip - Lansing Lugnuts
- Big Innings Push Snappers Past Cougars - Beloit Sky Carp
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