MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Finish Road Trip With 5-2 Win at Fort Wayne

Published on May 10, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Fort Wayne, IN - The Peoria Chiefs finished a season-long 12-game road trip with a 5-2 win over the first place Fort Wayne TinCaps Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs finished the road trip 7-5 and are now 16-13 overall heading into Tuesday's home double header against Quad Cities. The Chiefs left runners on the corners in the first inning and the TinCaps jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the frame. With one down Jaff Decker hit the new stadiums first ever home run out onto the Treetops Rooftop Party Area above the right-field concourse. The solo shot, his third of the season put the TinCaps up 1-0.

Peoria came right back in the second to tie the game against Stiven Osuna. Junior Lake reached on a one-out single and Luis Flores was hit by a pitch to put two on for Drew Rundle. Rundle tied the game with a single to right as Lake scored though Flores was out diving back into second on the play.

Two innings later the Chiefs took the lead against Osuna. Nelson Perez led off with a single and scored on a double to center by Lake. Flores sacrificed Lake to third and Rundle drove him home while reaching on an error for a 3-1 Chiefs lead. Aaron Shafer escaped trouble in the fifth thanks to his defense. Decker reached on a one-out single and tried to score on a double to right-center by Sawyer Carroll. But Rundle found the cut-off man Ryan Flaherty and the relay was in time as Flores tagged Decker for the second out. Shafer then retired Matt Clark to end the inning with the Chiefs up 3-1.

Fort Wayne went to the bullpen in the sixth inning and the Chiefs added to their lead. Mike Watt gave up a single to Lake and got Flores to bounce into a double play. Rundle put the Chiefs up 4-1 with a long solo homer to right field his first of the season. The TinCaps threatened against the Chiefs bullpen in the seventh. Dean Anna led off with a double before Chris Huseby recorded two straight outs. After Decker drew a walk, Ryan Buchter relieved Huseby and Carroll lined an infield single off Buchter's foot to load the bases. Buchter recovered to strike out Clark as they tying run to end the frame. Peoria added to their three run lead in the eighth against Watt. Perez doubled to left with one out and came home two batters later when Flores doubled down the line for a 5-1 Chiefs lead. Buchter ran into some trouble of his own in the eighth when he walked back-to-back batters with one out. He bounced back to strike out Dean Anna before giving way to closer Erik Hamren. Hamren ended the threat by striking out Kevin Hansen to preserve the 5-1 lead. The TinCaps scored a meaningless run off Hamren with a one-out double by Carroll in the ninth.

Shafer allowed one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked three. Huseby allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Buchter threw one scoreless inning allowing one hit and walking two while striking out three. Hamren earned the save while allowing a run on two hits and two strikeouts. Road Trip: The Chiefs went 7-5 on the 12-game road trip as the offense hit .295 (130-for-441) and scored 74 runs. The pitching staff recorded five saves and posted a 3.56 ERA while holding the opposition to a .228 average. Chiefs hitters collected 46 extra base hits with 32 doubles, 12 homers and two triples while striking out just 71 times. The Chiefs collected at least 10 hits in eight of the 12 games and scored seven or more runs six times.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Drew Rundle (CF) - Rundle did a bit of everything on Sunday while batting in the nine slot and manning center field. He singled home the Chiefs first run and the second and produced another RBI while reaching on an error in the fourth. After recording an outfield assist at the plate in the fifth, Rundle homered in the sixth to make it 4-1. He later walked to finish the game 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.

Notes...Harrison had 22 hits on the road trip while Vitters had 17...Shafer has allowed a home run in five straight starts....He also leads the Chiefs pitchers and is tied for the MWL lead in double plays induced with six...Peoria is 8-2 in day games this season...Harrison was 4-for-7 leading off games on the road trip...The Chiefs were 34-for-110 (.309) on the road trip with runners in scoring position...The Chiefs had not homered in a Sunday game until Rundle's sixth inning blast...Ryan Flaherty is hitting .353 (6-for-17) with two doubles and two RBI since moving into the #2 slot in the batting order... Peoria is 67-2 against the Eastern Division this season...The Chiefs are 8-18 in Fort Wayne since winning the MWL title in 2002...Peoria won a series in Fort Wayne for the first time since 2005 and just the fourth time since 1996...Monday is an off day for the entire Midwest League...The Chiefs will be back in action Tuesday at O'Brien Field for an 11:00 am double header against Quad Cities...Tuesday is a GAMEday Education Program Day and all seniors 60 and over can get $6.00 tickets...There is also a Business Person's Special at the Box Office that includes a $5 Chiefs Cash voucher in exchange for a business card...Peoria will send RH Marcus Hatley (1-1, 5.40) and RH Justin Bristow (0-1, 7.00) to the mound against River Bandits RH Scott McGregor (1-1, 6.75) and RH Arquimedes Nieto (0-2, 3.26)...The DH can be heard starting with the pre-game show at 10:45 am on 96.5 ESPN Radio and www.peoriachiefs.com.

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Midwest League Stories from May 10, 2009


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