Bullpen Lets Chiefs Down Again, Playoffs Slipping Away
June 10, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Clinton, IA - The Peoria Chiefs allowed two runs in the seventh and lost their fourth straight game with a 5-3 loss against the Clinton LumberKings on Wednesday night. The loss drops the Chiefs to fourth place in the Western Division and four games out of the wild card race with 12 games left to play.
Clinton starter Alfredo Venegas faced the minimum through the first 4 1/3 innings as the Chiefs drew just a walk and had Junior Lake caught stealing. Rebel Ridling ended the no-hit bid with a first-pitch home run to straight away center field with one out in the fifth. Nelson Perez followed with a single to right but he was left at first as the Chiefs took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
The lead didn't last long as Nate Tenbrink hit a solo homer on the first pitch from Chiefs starter Chris Carpenter in the bottom of the fifth. The Kings put another runner on in the fifth but Carpenter picked off Ochoa to escape further trouble.
With the game tied 1-1 in the sixth, Clinton took their first lead of the night. Luis Nunez beat out an infield single to third and moved to third on a base-hit by Scott Savastano. Kris Sanchez put Clinton in front 2-1 with a single to left as Nunez scored.
Ridling again powered the offense by tying the game in the seventh. Kyler Burke began the inning with a single to right off Venegas. Ridling slammed his second homer of the game and eighth of the season over the scoreboard in left for a 3-3 score.
But again the Chiefs responded by giving up runs immediately after scoring. Kevin Kreier came out of the pen and allowed a one-out solo homer to Blake Ochoa as Clinton took a 4-3 lead. Ogui Diaz followed with a hustle double and scored on a two-out single by Nunez before Kreier escaped the inning with a fly out by Savastano.
The Chiefs threatened but came up empty in the eighth. Drew Rundle singled off Stephen Penney but was out on a fielders' choices with Josh Harrison reaching first. David Macias singled up the middle to put the tying runs on base with one out. Josh Vitters grounded out back to the mound as both runners moved up 90 feet. Ruben Flores relieved Penney and got burke to pop out to shortstop to end the threat. Peoria went in order in the ninth against Flores to fall 5-3.
Carpenter allowed three runs, two earned on five hits over six innings. The All-Star struck out five and walked three. Kreier (3-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits over two innings of work.
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