MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Lose Late Lead, Swept by Lugnuts

Published on April 23, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Lansing, MI - The Peoria Chiefs allowed two runs in the bottom of the eighth and lost to the Lansing Lugnuts 2-1 Wednesday night. The loss complete a three-game sweep for Lansing and left the Chiefs 1-5 on the roadtrip and 7-13 overall.

Leading 1-0 in the eighth, the Chiefs called on lefty Dustin Sasser out of the bullpen. Matt Liuzza doubled off the wall in center and moved to third on a single by Wes Stone. Third baseman Marquez Smith threw out Liuzza at the plate before Moises Sierra grounded out to Sasser. Raul Barron slapped an opposite field single to right to score both Stone and pinch-runner Adam Calderone for the 2-1 Lansing lead.

Peoria took their first lead of the series in the fifth. With two outs, Lansing starter Brad Mills walked Marquez Smith after being ahead in the county 0-and-2. Lefty Cody Crowell relieved Mills and Josh Donaldson greeted him with a RBI double off the wall in left. The 1-0 lead for the Chiefs was their first since winning Saturday night, a span of 32 innings.

The Chiefs were blatantly robbed of two runs in the second inning by home plate umpire Ben May. With a runner on and no outs, Kyler Burke launched a clear home-run down the right-field line and across the street. However, at the last second, May called the ball foul amid protests from Burke and Chiefs Manager Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg was ejected from the game as a result, and Burke eventually struck out as the Chiefs failed to score.

Peoria had nobody to blame for not scoring in the third. Marwin Gonzalez led off with a double and Leon Johnson reached on a bunt single. Mills misplayed Nate Samson's sacrifice bunt and the Chiefs loaded the bases. With nobody out, Smith popped out to second, and Mills struck out both Donaldson and Jovan Rosa to end the inning.

Hung-Wen Chen made his first start for the Chiefs and allowed just one hit while facing the minimum over three innings. The right-hander struck out three and allowed just an infield single. Zach Ashwood made his first relief appearance and tossed three shutout innings. He struck out one and allowed three hits. Craig Muschko allowed one hit and struck out a batter in his lone inning of work.

Player of the Game - Hung-Wen Chen (RHP) & Zach Ashwood (LHP) - Switching roles, Chen and Ashwood combined to blank the Lugnuts over six innings. In his first start, Chen allowed just one hit while striking out three over three innings. Ashwood followed and gave up just three hits with one strikeout in his three innings as the Chiefs built a 1-0 lead.

Notes... Mario Mercedes went 0-for-4 to end a five game hit streak... The lead in the fifth was the first for pitcher Zach Ashwood on the season in 13 innings...The Chiefs had been 5-for-5 in save opportunities on the season...The Chiefs have scored first in just seven of 20 games this season...Peoria turned two more double plays and lead the MWL with 25...Thursday is an off-day for the Chiefs before a six-game homestand starts Friday against Fort Wayne...Friday is Bradley night at O'Brien Field for the third season in a row...The Chiefs will welcome BU President Joanne Glasser and the Bradley men's soccer team which made a NCAA Elite Eight appearance last fall...All BU students and faculty get in for half price by showing their ID at the Box Office...The game starts at 6:30 PM and the Chiefs will throw RH Ryan Acosta (0-1, 2.63) against a yet to be named Wizards starter...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 April 23, 2008


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