Chiefs Drop Fourth Straight
August 7, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Peoria, IL- The Peoria Chiefs gave up double digit runs for the third straight game in a 10-2 loss to the visiting Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday evening at O'Brien Field. The loss drops the Chiefs to 24-20 on the half and 55-58 overall but they do still hold the Wild Card spot in the Western Division playoff race.
The return from the eight game road trip did not get off to the start the Chiefs had hoped for in the first inning. Chiefs starter Robert Hernandez walked the lead off hitter Juan Rivera on four pitches before giving up a double off the right field wall to Matt Berezay. With two on and no outs Eduardo Perez hit a three run homer to right center. Josh Bell hit the second straight homer of the inning to make it 4-0. Carlos Santana walked and Scott Van Slyke singled to put two runners on with one out. Francisco Lizarraga singled to left to score Santana to make it 5-0, but Van Slyke was thrown out trying to go to third and Lizarraga was caught trying to go to second to end the inning.
Great Lakes got to Hernandez again in the fourth inning after Trayvon Robinson singled with one out and scored all the way from first on a double by Rivera to make it 6-0. Berezay doubled for the second time in the game but the defense prevented another run from scoring. Leon Johnson smashed into the wall in center but Brian Leclerc picked the ball up and relayed it to the shortstop Darwin Barney who threw Rivera out at the plate.
The same defense that got Hernandez out of the fourth inning let him down in the fifth inning. Josh Bell reached on an infield single that was just out of the reach of second basemen Nate Samson. Santana reached on an error by Russ Canzler at first base to put two on with no outs. Adolfo Gonzalez followed with a triple that Jim Adduci just missed on a diving attempt that cleared the bases to make it 8-0. Robinson delivered a two out RBI single to make it 9-0.
Peoria finally threatened against Loons starter Paul Coleman in the fifth inning. Wellington Castillo picked up an opposite field single for just the second Chiefs hit of the game. Brian Leclerc followed with his second hit of the game on a single to center that the center fielder did not field cleanly and allowed Castillo to move to third. Leon Johnson followed with the third straight hit to score Castillo to make it 9-1. The Chiefs loaded the bases after a walk to Samson but Adduci grounded out to end the rally.
Great Lakes added a run in the sixth inning after Berezay picked up his fourth hit of the game and went to third on a double by Perez. Bell singled to score Berezay to make it 10-1. Jose Ceda came in to relieve Hernandez and got all three outs in the inning.
Darwin Barney doubled down the left field line off of Miguel Sanfler with one out in the ninth. The Chiefs then drew two straight walks to Samson and Adduci to load the bases. Derek Schermerhorn drew a bases loaded walk to make it 10-2 before the Chiefs left the bases loaded as the game ended.
Hernandez suffered his third straight loss by going five plus innings and allowing 10 runs, eight of which were earned on 16 hits. Ceda tossed three shut out innings including striking out the side in the seventh. He finished with four strikeouts and one walk. Alex Maestri pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning in his only inning of work.
Gorman's Pub Player of the Game Wellington Castillo (C)- Wellington went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Castillo now has 10 doubles on the season and 34 runs scored which is third on the team.
Playoff Watch: The top two teams in the division excluding Beloit and Clinton will make the playoffs. With 26 games remaining, the Chiefs are in the Wild Card spot, 2 ½ game behind Quad Cities and 2 ½ games up on Kane County. The Chiefs have six games (four at home) left against Kane County 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 first inning home run by the Loons was the fourth straight game an opponent scored their first run via a home run... Peoria has surrendered a five run inning three of the last 18 innings played...The Chiefs stranded a season high 13 runners on base...This was the third straight game in which Peoria allowed more than 10 runs and 15 hits...Hernandez allowed 16 hits and ten runs which is the high for Chiefs pitchers on the season...The Chiefs have been outscored 37-7 during the current four game losing streak...Peoria and Great Lakes continue the series on Wednesday evening at 7:00...Wednesday is Senior night in which all fans 55 and over receive admission for $6...It is also game show night featuring baseball bingo as well as other popular game shows...Peoria will send RHP Michael Bartek (0-0, 5.89) to the mound in his second professional start against Great Lakes RHP Steven Johnson (2-5, 6.08)...The game cane be heard live beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 PM online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350.
Midwest League Stories from August 7, 2007
- Long Game, Successful result - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Big First Inning Propels Loons to Second Straight Win - Great Lakes Loons
- Cougars Bolt Past Lugnuts - Kane County Cougars
- Chiefs Drop Fourth Straight - Peoria Chiefs
- Rattlers Start Home Stand on Right Foot - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Swing Stay Hot, Slay Dragons - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Swing and Weather Stop Dragons in Series Opener - Dayton Dragons
- Loons Welcome Smit - Great Lakes Loons
- Hank Conger placed on DL - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Number One Pick Coming Back - Fort Wayne TinCaps
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