Chiefs inch closer to playoffs with 11-2 blowout win
June 11, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Peoria, IL -The Peoria Chiefs moved a step closer to clinching a playoff spot, defeating the Clinton LumberKings for the second straight day, this time pounding their division foe 11-2 Sunday afternoon at O'Brien Field. With the Chiefs win and the Burlington loss to Kane County, Peoria's magic number to win the wild-card stands at one with a chance to clinch tomorrow night at home with a winagainst the LumberKings, or by a Beloit or Burlington loss.
The Chiefs got on top early. In the bottom of the first, with the score 0-0, Robinson Chirinos walked, and Mark Reed followed with a perfect bunt single. After a free pass to Jesus Valdez, Ryan Norwood put the Chiefs on the board with a bloop single into right-center field to make it a 1-0 game.
Peoria tallied more in their half of the third. Reed led off with an opposite field single and moved to third with one away on a Norwood single to right. With two outs, Alberto Garcia came through win a line drive RBI single to left to score Reed. The next batter was Brandon Taylor and he added two more with an RBI double into the right-center field gap to plate Norwood and Garcia to give the Chiefs a 4-0 win.
The Chiefs made it 5-0 fifth. Reed reached on an infield single and stole second base. With two outs, Valdez hit a soft liner just out of the reach of Jose Vallejo at second to plate Reed. The LumberKings finally got on the board in the seventh. John Wittleman reached on an error to open the frame and moved to third on a double by Joe Kemp. Brian Valichka singled to bring home Whittleman and make it a 5-1 game. Scott Taylor prevented further damage when he stranded runners at second and third with nobody out.
Peoria scored two more in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded and two away, Jake Muyco ripped a groundball double just fair down the left field line to score Yusuf Carter and pinch-runner Davy Gregg to give the Chiefs a 7-1 advantage.
Norwood and Carter put the exclamation point on this one in the bottom of the eighth. With Reed on second and Valdez on first, the Chiefs' first baseman hit an absolute rocket to left almost clearing O'Brien Field entirely. Carter was up next and he responded with a long ball to left-center to give Peoria back-to-back homers and an 11-1 lead.
Starter Scott Taylor picked up his third victory throwing seven innings allowing one unearned run on five hits. The righty struck out four and walked two. Koerber shut the door in the final two frames giving up one run in those two innings of work. Clinton starter Zach Phillips was draped with the loss allowing five runs on eight hits.
Pepsi Player of the Game
Ryan Norwood (1B) - The Chiefs' first baseman was 3-5 with a three run towering homer to left. Ryan ended the day with two runs scored and four driven in.
Notes... The seven innings tossed by Taylor matched a season-high for him...The six game winning streak by the Chiefs is a season-high...Attendance Sunday afternoon was 3,199...RHP Todd Blackford (5-2, 4.41) will start on the mound for the Chiefs tomorrow going up against RHP Jake Rasner 3-6, (4.34) ...First pitch of the first game is slated for 7:00 PM and the pre-game show will kick-off at 6:45 on www.peoriachiefs.com.
Midwest League Stories from June 11, 2006
- Marathon effort comes up short - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Norwood, Chiefs crush LumberKings - Clinton LumberKings
- New kid helps Devil Rays win second consecutive - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Cougars Kleen bases to beat Bees - Burlington Bees
- Rasmus homer not enough for Swing - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Whitecaps headed to the playoffs - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Cougars clinch playoff spot in grand fashion - Kane County Cougars
- Snappers pound Silver Hawks - Beloit Sky Carp
- Chiefs inch closer to playoffs with 11-2 blowout win - Peoria Chiefs
- Lugnuts rattle Wisconsin - Lansing Lugnuts
- Dragons drop close one to West Michigan - Dayton Dragons
- Whitecaps magic number is 1; West Michigan wins, 4-3 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Lansing sends Rattlers to fourth loss in a row - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Matt Spring and John Matulia Placed on Hudson Valley Roster - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
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