Burke, Chiefs Blast Kernels 11-1 Saturday Night
August 29, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Cedar Rapids, IA - After a day off Kyler Burke returned to the Peoria Chiefs clean-up spot fully rested and drove in six runs in an 11-1 rout of the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night. Austin Bibens-Dirkx, a likely game one or game two starter in the playoff against Cedar Rapids kept the Kernels off balance into the seventh to improve to 7-1. The Chiefs are now 38-23 on the half and 76-54 on the season with eight regular season games remaining.
After having the final 17 batters retired in a row on Friday night, the Chiefs came out swinging on Saturday. Kernels' starter Ryan Chaffee struck out David Macias to start the game before Ryan Flaherty singled to center. Rebel Ridling followed with a single to left and both runners scored as Kyler Burke tripled to right-center. D.J. LeMahieu made it 3-0 with a RBI groundout to shortstop as Adam Younger bobbled the ball allowing Burke to score.
The Chiefs added to their lead in the second against Chaffee. Jose Valdez, the newest Chiefs player started a two-out rally with a bunt single and he advanced to second on a throwing error by Chaffee. Macias drew a walk and Flaherty made it 4-0 with a double into the left-field corner.
Peoria broke the game open and sent Chaffee to an early showed by batting around in the fourth. Junior Lake reached on an error to start the inning and Valdez singled to left. Macias sacrificed but was safe to load the bases when Beau Brooks, the Kernels catcher threw late to third. Flaherty drew a bases loaded walk to make it 5-0 and Ridling reached on an infield single off the glove of Chaffee as Valdez scored for a 6-0 lead. Burke cleared the bases with his second grand slam of the season to make it 10-0. The blast to right-center was his 14th homer as he tied the Chiefs single-season and career record for most grand slams.
Cedar Rapids finally got on the board in the sixth against Chiefs' ace Austin Bibens-Dirkx. The Chiefs starter allowed just two hits through the first five innings and only two runners past first base while striking out five. In the sixth Dwayne Bailey led off with a single and moved to third on a one-out hit by Darwin Perez. Bailey came home to score the Kernels' first run on a wild pitch from Bibens-Dirkx that also moved Perez to second. Roberto Lopez followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one out. But Bibens-Dirkx bounced back with consecutive fly outs to end the inning.
Peoria got that run back in the top of the eighth against Cedar Rapids reliever Chris Armstrong. Macias walked to start the inning and with one out he was forced out at second on a grounder by Ridling. Burke drew a walk and LeMahieu made it 11-1 with a single back up the middle.
Bibens-Dirkx (7-1) turned in his sixth straight quality start with 6 2/3 innings in which he allowed one run five hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out six. Manolin DeLeon threw 1/3 shutout innings in which he allowed two hits and struck out one. Chris Huseby allowed one hit and a walk while striking out one in his scoreless inning.
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