16-Run Storm Leads Chiefs over Cubs
MWL Peoria Chiefs

16-Run Storm Leads Chiefs over Cubs

Published on June 11, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


South Bend, IN - As a line of storms swept across the Midwest, the Chiefs made it rain runs, beating South Bend 16-7 in a rain-shortened contest on Thursday night at Four Winds Field.

The outburst comes on the heels of a stretch in which Peoria was held to three runs in three consecutive games. The win improves the Chiefs record to 31-29 and drops the first-place Cubs to 36-19, snapping their four-game win streak.

Peoria's offense jolted to life in the first inning. José Suárez opened the scoring with an opposite-field RBI single. Tre Richardson III followed with a 2-RBI double to the left field wall and Anyelo Encarnación rounded out the opening inning rally with a sacrifice fly.

South Bend landed a counter-punch in the bottom of the second inning. After the first two batters reached against Tanner Franklin, Drew Bowser lined a three-run home run to left field to cut the lead to 4-3.

Josh Kross answered for the Chiefs with a 400+ foot solo home run over the left field seats, pushing the lead to 5-3. Encarnación added a second sacrifice fly later in the frame to make it 6-3.

The Cubs matched that two-spot with one of their own in the bottom of the inning. Josiah Hartshorn picked up an RBI single and Miguel Useche drove in Hartshorn on his own RBI knock to bring the Cubs back within one, 6-5.

Franklin exited the game after three innings after surrendering five earned runs to tie a season-high.

The Chiefs began to break the game open in the fourth. Cubs starter Cole Reynolds walked the first two batters of the frame, cueing the end of his night.

Jesús Báez welcomed South Bend reliever Ben Johnson to the game by connecting for a three-run home run to left, pushing the lead to 9-5. The longball extended Báez's season-long hit streak to 11 games and tied the Chiefs' single-season home run record in the High-A era (13).

After a single from Suárez and walk from Richardson later in the inning, Encarnación poked his own three-run homer over the wall in right to cap a six-run fourth inning for the Chiefs that grew the lead to 12-5.

In the fifth, Hartshorn turned on a two-run longball to right field to cut the advantage down to 12-7. However, Ty Van Dyke worked around runners on second and third later in the inning to keep Peoria ahead by five.

The merry-go-round began spinning again for the Chiefs offense in the sixth. Suárez doubled to open the inning, and Richardson drove him home on an RBI single, the third of his four hits in the game. Richardson later scored on a wild pitch, Encarnación came in on a Nickens sacrifice fly and Sammy Hernandez scored on a Báez sac fly, ballooning the lead to 16-7.

That score held as the final, as a tornado warning was issued for South Bend as the game entered the bottom of the seventh inning. After a delay, the game was ruled final.

The series continues Friday evening at 6:05 pm central time. Fans can tune into the hometown audio call on PeoriaChiefs.com.

The Chiefs return to Dozer Park Tuesday night to begin a six-game series with the Dayton Dragons, the Reds High-A affiliate. Tickets are available at PeoriaChiefs.com or by calling the Dozer Park box office.

Check out the Peoria Chiefs Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from June 11, 2026


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