MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Outlast Rattlers 9-6 in Longest Game of Season

Published on May 20, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Grand Chute, WI - The Peoria Chiefs blew two late leads but scored four runs in the 15th inning to win the longest game of the season both time wise and inning wise, 9-6 against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Thursday night. Backup catcher Mario Mercedes threw 1 2/3 innings to earn the win, thought to be the first in franchise history for a position player. The Chiefs are now 24-17 on the season as they win the series two games to one.

Hak-Ju Lee started the 15th with a single off new reliever Andy Sauter and he was sacrificed to second by Logan Watkins. After Greg Rohan popped out the Chiefs took the lead with a two-out barrage of hits. Wisconsin intentionally walked Justin Bour and Matt Cerda put the Chiefs on top 6-5 with a ground-rule double to right-center. Nelson Perez delivered a two-run single to second for an 8-5 lead and he advanced to second on a throwing error. Jonathon Mota made it 9-5 with a single to center before Charles Thomas delivered the Chiefs fifth hit of the inning. Francisco Guzman, the ninth batter of the inning grounded out to end the four-run frame with the Chiefs leading 9-5.

Mercedes walked two and gave up a single to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the 15th. After Franklin Romero popped out, D'Vontrey Richardson singled to right to cut the lead to 9-6. With the winning run at the plate the Chiefs called on Larry Suarez who struck out Cutter Dykstra on three pitches to end the game for his first career save.

Wisconsin jumped out on top in the second inning without the benefit of a basehit. Chiefs' starter Trey McNutt walked Khris Davis to start the inning and Michael Marseco laid down a sacrifice bunt. McNutt's throw to first sailed down the right-field line to put runners on second and third with nobody out. A grounder to second by Austin Stockfish scored Davis before McNutt struck out Erick Miller and retired rehabbing Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez to end the frame.

Rattlers starter Jake Odorizzi cruised through the first three innings with five strikeouts and one baserunner allowed. Watkins led off the fourth with a double and Rohan singled to put runners on the corners. Bour doubled down the line to tie the game at one and after a flyout Perez doubled home two for a 3-1 Chiefs lead.

The Chiefs added to their lead in the fourth as Lee reached on an infield single and stole second before Watkins walked. A wild pitch moved both runners up 90 feet and Rohan made it 4-1 with a groundout to shortstop.

The game remained 4-1 into the ninth as the Chiefs bullpen turned away the Rattlers without a hit allowed through 3 1/3 innings. Jordan Latham entered in the ninth looking for his eighth save of the season but first since May 4. Chris Dennis started the frame with a single and Davis walked on four pitches. Marseco crushed a double to cut the Rattlers' deficit to 4-2 and put the tying run in scoring position with nobody out. Pinch-hitter Peter Fatse delivered a sac fly in foul territory to left and the throw home by Lee got away allowing Marseco to move to third. Pinch-hitter Cameron Garfield lined out to short on a great play by Lee to bring Gomez to the plate. A wild pitch on the first delivery by Latham hit the screen on a fly to score Marseco and tie the game. Gomez then popped out in foul territory to Mota to send the game to extras.

Wisconsin had the winning run in scoring position in both the 10th and 11th innings. With two down in the 10th against Latham, Scooter Gennett singled and moved to second on a wild pitch before Latham intentionally walked Dennis. Davis popped up to second to end the threat. Against Yohan Gonzalez in the 11th Peter Fatse tripled to right with one out. The Chiefs infield moved in and Garfield lifted a flyball to medium centerfield. Guzman made the catch and threw a strike home that Mota caught on one hop. Fatse bowled Mota over but the Chiefs' catcher absorbed the contact and held on the end the inning.

The Chiefs took the lead in the 12th against Andre LaMontagne. With two down Guzman walked, stole second and stole third as Lee worked a full-count. Lee delivered a go-ahead single to right to score Guzman for a 5-4 Chiefs lead.

Wisconsin took advantage of a Chiefs defensive mistake to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. With one down Richardson singled up the middle and Cutter Dykstra flew out to center. Gennett singled to left and the ball bounced off Watkins leg for an error to allow Richardson to score the tying run. The throw back in by Watkins got away allowing Gennett to move to third but Gonzalez stuck out Dennis to end the inning.

In the 13th Davis led off with a double and was sacrificed to third by Marseco. The Chiefs intentionally walked Fatse to set up the force and Garfield flew out to right with Fatse taking second base. Gonzalez struck out Franklin Romero Jr. to end the inning.

Mercedes came out of the bullpen to pitch in the 14th and got two quick pop-ups before Gennett singled to center and stole second. Dennis singled to right and Perez threw Gennett out at the plate to end the inning and send the game to the 15th.

McNutt threw 4 2/3 innings and allowed just one unearned run on one hit and three walks while striking out four. Steven Grife was in line for the win before the ninth with 2 1/3 perfect innings and two strikeouts. Ronny Morla threw one shutout inning with a walk and a strikeout. Latham allowed three runs, two earned on three hits and two walks over two innings. Gonzalez allowed just one unearned run on four hits over three innings while striking out three. Mercedes allowed one run on four hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. Suarez nailed down his first career save with a strikeout on three pitches.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Mario Mercedes (RHP) - Mercedes nailed down the win with 1 2/3 innings in which he allowed one run on four hits. The win for a position player is extremely rare in baseball and thought to be the Chiefs first in franchise history.

Notes...The Chiefs had lost the last five games in which Mota has started behind the plate...Peoria is 8-5 in the final game of a series and 4-3 on the road...The Chiefs committed six errors on Thursday for the second time this season, leading to three unearned runs...The other was at home against Cedar Rapids May 6...Watkins had two errors in left, McNutt two on the mound, Bour had one at first and lee had one at shortstop...The intentional walk to Dennis in the 10th was the first the Chiefs have issued in 347 innings this season...The last position player to pitch was Elvis Lara on July 30, 2008 against Kane County in a 12-1 loss...The last position player to take a decision was Mota who lost in the 17th inning game against Kane County on April 13, 2008...Guzman leads the team with five outfield assists...Lee leads the team with 12 multi-hit games this season...The Chiefs have blown four saves in 17 chances, two against Wisconsin and two against Clinton...This was the first blown save on the road...The longest game until tonight was a 3 hour-52 minute, 11-inning win over Kane County on April 20...The Chiefs longest game was a 5 hour 16 minute affair on June 10, 1984 that covered 19 innings at Quad Cities...The longest game last season was 4 hours and 50 minutes over 14 innings at Great Lakes May 30...Cerda and Rohan are now tied for the team lead with five game-winning RBI...Fitzgerald was tossed after being called out on strikes in the top of the eighth, the first ejection of any kind this season...The Chiefs are 8-5 in their first 13 series this season with a 3-4 mark on the road...The Chiefs head five hours back to Peoria before commuting to Davenport, Iowa the next four days for a series against the Quad Cities River Bandits, the affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals...The series begins Friday at 7:00 p.m. as the Chiefs send RH Ryan Searle (1-0, 2.93) against Bandits RH Deryk Hooker (1-2, 2.67)...The broadcast can be heard starting with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. on 96.5 ESPN and www.peoriachiefs.com.

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