MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Fall 4-3 Friday Night

Published on August 1, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Peoria, IL -The Peoria Chiefs dropped the opening game of a three-game series with the visiting South Bend Silver Hawks 4-3 on Friday night at O'Brien Field. The loss drops the Chiefs to 22-19 in the second half and drops them into third place in the Western Division. South Bend got off to a quick start in the first inning against Peoria starter Jose Pina. The game's first hitter, Ollie Linton, doubled down the left-field line to immediately give the Silver Hawks a runner in scoring position. Collin Cowgill lined a ball off the glove of Pina for an infield single that put runners at the corners. Pina bounced back to get Taylor Harbin to pop out on the infield, but Sean Coughlin followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Linton and put the Hawks in front 1-0. The Chiefs loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second against South Bend's Christian Beltre but failed to score. Luis Bautista singled, and Rebel Ridling was hit by a pitch before Brandon Guyer singled to give the Chiefs a golden early opportunity. Beltre responded by inducing a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Jake Opitz to end the inning with the Chiefs still down 1-0. South Bend returned the favor in the third. Linton walked with one out followed by back-to-back singles by Cowgill and Harbin to load the bases. Pina was lifted from the contest due to a pitch count, but Jay Jackson came in and struck out the next two batters to leave the bases loaded. Peoria used a timely two-out hit to take the lead for the first time in the third inning. Josh Harrison and Nate Samson collected back-to-back singles to right field to put two on with one out. After Jonathan Wyatt struck out, Jovan Rosa delivered a single to score Harrison to tie the game 1-1. On the same play, right fielder Jo Jo Batten overthrew third base allowing Samson to score and putting the Chiefs in front 2-1. South Bend recaptured the lead against Jackson in the fifth inning. Batten led off with a single back up the middle to snap a streak where Jackson had retired five straight. After Linton struck out, Cowgill walked to put two on with one out. Taylor Harbin connected on his 10th home run of the season, a three-run shot to the berm in left field, to put the Silver Hawks back in front 4-2. Down two into the sixth, the Chiefs mounted a comeback against Beltre. Rosa led off with a single and moved to second on a hit by Bautista. After a fly out moved Rosa to third, Guyer doubled to cut the Chiefs deficit to one run at 4-3. With the go-ahead run at second, Opitz flew out to left-center to end the threat. Pina departed after hitting his pitch count with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning. The right-hander was charged with just one run on four hits while striking out two and walking one. Jackson pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third but suffers his second straight loss to fall to 2-2 on the season. The right-hander struck out seven and walked one while allowing three runs on three hits over 4 2/3 innings. Muschko pitched the final two innings and retired all six batters he faced, including striking out the side in the eighth inning on 10 pitches.

Player of the Game - Jovan Rosa (3B)- Rosa collected his second three-hit performance on this homestand by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and also drove in his team-leading 62nd run of the year.

Notes...Samson extended his hitting streak to 10 games, one shy of his season best...Peoria has allowed a league-high 88 home runs this season...Peoria leads the Midwest League in doubles with 209...The Chiefs are 1-7 in their last eight games decided by one run, all coming since July 17...Jackson issued his first walk at O'Brien Field in three outings...Jackson struck out at least seven batters for the fourth straight appearance...Samson has grounded into a team-high 10 double plays...Cliff Andersen struck out twice and is the 39th player in franchise history to strike out 101 times in a season...Rosa, Bautista and Guyer all picked up multi-hit games...Guyer has multiple hits in three of his last four games...Rosa now has 33 multi-hit games, which is second on the team...He also picked up his second three-hit game this homestand...Bautista has thrown out 3-of-6 potential base stealers in his sixth start behind the plate...The Chiefs and Silver Hawks continue the series tomorrow evening at 6:30...Saturday is Jimmy Buffett Night at O'Brien Field...The Chiefs players and coaches will also wear Hawaiian style uniforms that will be auctioned off throughout the game to benefit the Pediatric Resource Center... There will be another Pitch-in For Charity to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Illinois Chiefs manager Ryne Sandberg's game-worn jersey will be auctioned off live on the field following the game...Also following the game will be another spectacular fireworks show presented by Waste Management... ...Concluding the night will be a performance by Coco Loco, a rock and roll band that covers the classics of Jimmy Buffett and other popular artists... Peoria will send RH Casey Coleman (0-1,2.70) to the mound for his O'Brien Field debut, while South Bend counters with RH Josh Collmenter (11-5, 2.99)...The game can be heard live beginning with the pre-game show at 6:15 PM online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350.

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Midwest League Stories from August 1, 2008


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