Chiefs continue to roll
Published on July 1, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Grand Chute, WI - The Peoria Chiefs used a four-run fourth inning to cruise to a 5-1 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Tuesday night for their first eight-game winning streak in five seasons. The Chiefs are now just one game out of first place in the Western Division at 8-5 on the second half. Peoria has a chance to tie their single-season franchise record for consecutive wins on Wednesday afternoon in Wisconsin. Chiefs starter Kevin Kreier ran into trouble in the first inning but pitched out of it. A two-out single by Denny Almonte and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for the Timber Rattlers. Kreier then got Alex Liddi to line out to third base and end the inning scoreless. Peoria threatened in the second with a leadoff double but didn't break through against Rattlers starter Michael Pineda until the fourth. Nate Samson led off the fourth with an infield single and moved to second when Marquez Smith walked. Jovan Rosa, who won Monday's game with an 11th inning walk-off grand slam, put the Chiefs on top 2-0 Tuesday night with a double to right-center. Luis Bautista followed with a double of his own for a 3-0 lead. After Bautista stole third and Brandon Guyer struck out, Cliff Andersen made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly to deep left. Drew Rundle followed with a double to right but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning after a single by Gian Guzman. Kreier went back to the mound with a four run lead and racked up two quick outs to start the bottom of the fourth. But after striking out Joe White, Kreier grabbed his lower back and called out this Chiefs coaches and trainer Kelly Vanhove. After a few minutes of discussion and a couple of warmup pitchers, Kreier left the game with an injury and was replaced by lefty Zach Ashwood. Alex Liddi greeted Ashwood with a blooper into right that fell for a double as Rundle and Guzman collided. Guzman took the worst of it but stayed in the game after being attended to as he lay face down on the outfield grass. Joe Dunigan ended the bizarre inning by popping out to Smith at third base with the Chiefs still leading 4-0. Wisconsin didn't get on the board until the seventh. With one out, Dunigan reached on a bunt single and stole second. After Ashwood struck out Israel Nunez, Dunigan scored on a single by Maximo Mendez to cut the Chiefs lead to 4-1. Jordan Latham relieved Ashwood and walked Colina before getting a flyout to end the threat. The Chiefs closed the scoring with an unearned run off Rob Harmon in the ninth. Guyer reached on an error to start the inning and promptly stole second and third base before Andersen struck out. Rundle walked and Guyer scored on a RBI groundout off the bat of Guzman for a 5-1 Chiefs lead Kreier allowed just one hit and three walks over his 3 2/3 shutout inning. The right-hander struck out two before leaving with an injury. Ashwood allowed one run on four hits over three innings of work while striking out two. Latham recorded the save with four strikeouts and two hits allowed over 2 1/3 innings of work.
Player of the Game - Zach Ashwood (LHP) - The Chiefs lefty was pressed into service when Kreier was injured in the fourth inning and he turned in a spectacular outing. Ashwood struck out two and allowed just four base runners over three innings for his fourth straight win on the season.
Notes...The Chiefs last eight-game win streak was June 22-29, 2003 and the same-season franchise record for regular season wins in a row is nine, accomplished in 1989...The 2002 team won 12 straight, but the last six were in the playoffs...Samson has a team-high 25 multi-hit games...Peoria has won four straight road games for the second time this season...Latham picked up his second save in three days...Rosa has seven RBI in the last two games...Wisconsin left he bases load twice....The Chiefs stole four bases...Bautista caught for the third time this season and threw out the first runner who attempted to steal against him...Kreier has not allowed an earned run in his last two starts...The Chiefs are now 5-4 against Wisconsin this season and 1-0 on a season-long 13-game road trip...Wisconsin has lost a season-high five straight and left 10 runners on base...This 13-game, four-state journey is the Chiefs longest since a 13-game swing in 2004 in which they went 6-7 in Lansing (1-3), Clinton (2-2), Dayton (3-1) and Kane County (0-1, rainout)...The four-game series continues on Wednesday at 12:05 pm as the Chiefs send RH Robert Hernandez (0-0, 5.55) to the hill against Wisconsin RH Juan Ramirez (3-6, 4.25)...The game can be heard live beginning with the pre-game show at 11:50 am online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350 AM.
Midwest League Stories from July 1, 2008
- Kernels use big seventh inning to beat River Bandits, 7-4 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Bandits Lose Lead, Game Late - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Hawks Fall In Series Opener - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Chiefs continue to roll - Peoria Chiefs
- Snappers battled back for victory - Beloit Sky Carp
- Rattlers fall to Chiefs - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Whitecaps go deep twice in win over Wizards - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Shorthanded Loons Fall to Dragons, 4-2 - Great Lakes Loons
- Cougars snap losing skid - Kane County Cougars
- Lugnuts cruise to win - Lansing Lugnuts
- Beed begin series with Kane County with loss - Burlington Bees
- Boar Leads Dragons to 4-2 Win - Dayton Dragons
- Say Hello to Hollingsworth - Kane County Cougars
- First-Rounder Wallace Signs, Headed to Quad Cities - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Former Beloit Batboy Returns Home to Face Snappers - Beloit Sky Carp
- Zimmerman Joins Loons - Great Lakes Loons
- Applause from the Kernels - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Kernels shut out Snappers, 7-0, move into three-way tie for first - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- June Players of the Month Nominees Announced - Dayton Dragons
- Well Earned Promotion For Wizards All-Star - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Team Collects 2,574 Re-Name Suggestions Over Two Weeks - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Chiefs Win 11-7 with Walk-Off Grand Slam - Peoria Chiefs
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