MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Eliminated From Playoff Race with 5-3 Loss

Published on September 2, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Geneva, IL -The Peoria Chiefs were officially eliminated from the second half playoff race with a rain-shortened 5-3 loss to the Kane County Cougars Thursday night. The winning run scored for the Cougars on the last play before a lengthy rain delay halted play and the Chiefs are now 4 games behind Kane County with just four to play. The loss drops the Chiefs to 31-33 on the half and 69-64 on the season while the Cougars move into a tie for the top playoff spot with Clinton who was suspended against Beloit Thursday night.

The Chiefs wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in the top of the first against Jonathan Joseph. With one out, Logan Watkins delivered his first home run of the season and his career, a solo shot to center for a 1-0 lead. Watkins, who had just missed homers off the wall in the last homestand, went deep in his 428th at-bat of the season and 787th of his career.

After the Chiefs turned a 3-6-3 double play in the bottom of the first, the offense went back to work against Joseph. Jae-Hoon Ha drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a single by Nelson Perez. Alvaro Ramirez singled home Ha for a 2-0 lead before Jose Guevara drew a walk. With the bases loaded Joseph balked to score Perez for a 3-0 Chiefs lead. However, Peoria was unable to add to the lead as Ramirez was out at the plate on a fielders' choice and Guevara was thrown out on an 8-2 double play to end the inning.

Kane County got on the board in the third against reliever Austin Kirk. Jose Crisotomo reached on a bunt single and Ramirez dropped a fly ball in center off the bat of Connor Crumbliss, though it was ruled a double. After a strikeout, Kirk threw a wild pitch that scored Crisotomo and moved Crumbliss to third. Three consecutive walks on 12 pitchers forced in a run and cut the Chiefs lead to 3-2. With the bases still loaded, Kirk recovered to strikeout Rashun Dixon and Jason Christian to end the inning.

With a steady rain coming down, things went from bad to worse in the seventh with Yohan Gonzalez on the hill. Leonard Gil hit a one-out solo home run to centerfield to tie the game 3-3. After a second out, Gonzalez gave up a single to Dixon and a passed ball moved the runner to second. The Chiefs intentionally walked Christian and Max Stassi made them pay. He singled to center and the throw home by Ramirez went to the backstop allowing both Dixon and Christian to score for a 5-3 Cougars lead. The Chiefs went to the bullpen but before Manolin DeLeon could throw a pitch the game was delayed by rain. After a delay of 78 minutes with the rain pounding down and the radar looking bad, the game was called with the Cougars winning 5-3.

Hatley, in his sixth start recovering from Tommy John surgery, went two innings and allowed three hits while striking out three. Kirk allowed two runs on three hits over three innings of work. He walked four and struck out six while also hitting a batter. Gonzalez (1-2) allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game: Logan Watkins (2B) - Watkins hit his first professional home run in the first to get the Chiefs on the board. He finished the game 1-for-3.

NotesLee had a nine-game hit streak end with a 0-for-3 nightHatley has four straight scoreless outingsFour of the Chiefs 15 blown saves this season have come against Kane CountyFour others have been against Clinton giving the Chiefs eight blown saves against the two teams ahead of them in the playoff raceAll four blown saves against the Cougars came in the second half and directly affected the playoff race...The Chiefs lost two runners at the plate in the second inningWatkins now has 24 extra-base hits this season...He had 929 career plate appearances without a home runThe Chiefs have 60 home runs on the season, 52 less than last seasonIn his 199th career game Perez picked up his 192nd career hit to tie Pablo Ozuna for 14th on the career listOzuna set the Chiefs single-season record with 192 hits in 1998Perez is also tied for 10th with 301 career total bases, matching Richard CananBour bounced into his 15th double play of the season which is tied with two other players for seventh on the Chiefs single-season listPeoria is 9-8 against Kane County this season with a 5-6 mark in GenevaThe three-game series concludes in Kane County at 7:05 p.m. on FridayThe Chiefs will start RH Brett Wallach (6-3, 4.16) against Kane County RH Chris Mederos (6-5, 3.34)The broadcast can be heard starting with the pregame show at 7:20 p.m. on 96.5 ESPN and www.peoriachiefs.com

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Midwest League Stories from September 2, 2010


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