MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Lose 9-5 Saturday

Published on July 1, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Grand Chute, WI - The Peoria Chiefs allowed another big inning and got swept by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 9-5 Saturday night to finish a six-game road trip. The Chiefs have now lost four straight and come home 3-6 on the half and 38-40 overall.

The Chiefs scored first for the first time in the series when the got to Mark Williams in the second inning. Javier Baez led off with a single and Anthony Giansanti drew a walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up 90 feet and Yasiel Balaguert put the Chiefs on top with a RBI groundout. With two down Oliver Zapata singled to left for a 2-0 Chiefs lead.

Wisconsin came right back in the bottom of the inning against Zach Cates. Greg Hopkins left the game after being hit in the head by a fastball with Carlos George running for the All-Star at first base. After a three-minute delay for the Wisconsin staff to help Hopkins from the field, Nick Ramirez doubled on the next pitch to put the Rattlers on the board. With one down Max Walla tied the game with a double. Walla stole third but was out at the plate on a pitch in the dirt as Rafael Neda struck out but reached first on the passed ball. Yadiel Rivera put the Rattlers ahead for good with a long two-run homer to left, his eighth of the season. Chad Stang singled and scored the fifth run of the inning on a Brandon Macias basehit.

The Chiefs answered immediately in the third. Pin-Chieh Chen led off with a walk and stole his second base of the game. Chen moved to third on a groundout and scored on a grounder by Dustin Geiger to narrow the gap to 5-3.

Peoria got a step closer in the fifth inning against Williams. Geiger singled with one out and scored on a double into the left-field corner by Paul Hoilman. Macias robbed Baez of a game-tying hit down the third-base line with a spectacular diving play and Williams escaped the inning with a 5-4 lead.

Wisconsin put the game out of reach in the seventh against reliever Austin Reed. Neda led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. He was replaced by pinch runner Chad Pierce, the Rattlers starting pitcher from Thursday night. Rivera drew a walk and Stang hit a soft liner to shortstop. Baez let the ball fall to attempt a double play but after securing one out at second, Wes Darvill threw wild to first as Pierce advanced to third. Wisconsin took advantage of the error as Pierce scored on a wild pitch and Macias launched a two-run homer to left for an 8-4 lead.

The Rattlers plated another run in the eighth against Sheldon McDonald before the Chiefs threatened in the ninth. Giansanti led off with a walk against Kevin Shackelford and Balaguert singled to center. With one down Zapata singled to load the bases and put the tying run in the on-deck circle. Chen delivered a sacrifice fly to center to cut the lead to 9-5 but Shackelford got Darvill to line out to shortstop to end the game.

Cates (0-1) allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits over four innings. He allowed a homer, walked one, hit one and struck out five. Zachary Rosscup struck out five and allowed one hit over two shutout innings. Reeds allowed three runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in one inning of work. McDonald allowed a run on two hits and a walk in one inning of work.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Oliver Zapata (RF) - Zapata tied a career high with three hits and he also drove in a run. The right fielder singled in the second, seventh and ninth innings and is now 10-for-27 against Wisconsin on the season.

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