MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Pounded by Whitecaps 14-4

Published on May 22, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Chiefs Pounded by Whitecaps 14-4 West Michigan posts nine-run seventh inning; Vitters homers again in loss

Peoria, IL - Playing solid, fundamental baseball through the majority of the first 39 games of 2009, the Peoria Chiefs were finally humbled in game 40 of the year in a 14-4 thumping by the West Michigan Whitecaps Friday night at O'Brien Field. One of the lone bright spots for the Chiefs was once again Josh Vitters, who homered for the sixth time in seven games.

Leading 5-4 heading into the top of the seventh, the Whitecaps busted it open with a nine-run inning, sending 12 hitters to the plate. Billy Nowlin cracked his second homer of the game leading off the frame. After a Jordan Lennerton double, reliever Mike Perconte was taken out for Erik Hamren. The first batter he faced was Avisail Garcia, who doubled home two runs to make it 8-4. The floodgates then opened for West Michigan as they scored six more in the inning to make it 14-4, highlighted by a Nowlin three-run double to right in his second at-bat of the inning.

The Whitecaps took a 2-0 early in the second on starter Alberto Cabrera. Nowlin delivered his first of two homers to left to start the second and later Garcia singled home Lennerton to give the Whitecaps a 2-0 edge.

The Chiefs got even after the first two batters in their half of the second. Rebel Ridling ripped a broken bat single to left to start the inning. Nelson Perez split the gap in right-center and Ridling scored from first. Perez slid into third trying to leg it into a triple, and the relay throw to third went past third baseman Ronnie Bourquin and down the left field line allowing Perez to also score and tie the game at two.

Defense cost the Chiefs in the top of the fourth. West Michigan regained a two-run lead on a wild play with two away. With Bowen at second and Garcia at first, Brent Wyatt pulled a groundball single to right. Bowen came in to score with the throw to the plate getting away from the catcher Mario Mercedes. The ball ricocheted to the backstop and Garcia tried to score all the way from first on the play. Cabrera, backing up the play, tried to throw out Garcia but threw it away as Garcia scored to make it 4-2. Wyatt then took third on the same throwing error by Cabrera. Brandon Douglas came up and hit a grounder to short fielded cleanly by Junior Lake, but the throw by the Chiefs infielder to first was too high, allowing Douglas to reach and Wyatt to score to make it a 5-2 Whitecaps advantage.

The Chiefs looked like they were going to overtake the Whitecaps when they stole the momentum away in the bottom of the sixth. Vitters and Kyler Burke smacked back-to-back homers with one away to get the Chiefs within the slimmest of margins at 5-4. Vitters now has eight homers in May.

Cabrera lasted 3 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, three earned, on eight hits. Mike Perconte relieved Cabrera and allowed two runs in 2 1/3 innings of work. Hamren faced eight batters in the seventh and retired just one while giving up seven runs. Chris Siegfried finished off the inning, giving up a hit but inducing a double play to end the nine-run seventh inning. Brandon Hamilton picked up the win for the Whitecaps. The right-hander gave up four runs on five hits in six innings of work. Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Josh Vitters (DH) - Vitters now has nine homers and has driven in 24 on the season. The nine homers are tied for second most in the league. The right-handed hitting slugger was 1-for-4 on the night.

Notes... The 18 hits and 14 runs by the Whitecaps were a season-high for a Chiefs opponent. The 10-run loss was also the worst of the season... The four errors by Peoria were a season-high...The last nine-run inning by an opponent occurred on April 9, 1990 by Burlington... The nine-run seventh by West Michigan was the second most in an inning in O'Brien Field history by an opponent. Kane County scored 10 on June 29, 2004... ...By losing two of three from West Michigan, the Chiefs lost their first series since May 2-4 at Cedar Rapids...The Chiefs are 0-6 on Fridays...Friday's start by Cabrera was only the third time this season when the Chiefs starting pitcher did not record a strikeout...The Whitecaps were 7-for-21 with runners in scoring position...Attendance Friday night was 3,692...The Chiefs welcome in the South Bend Silver Hawks for game one of a three-game set Saturday night. RHP Marcus Hatley (3-1, 5.10) will take the mound for the Chiefs opposed by Silverhawks LHP Taylor Sinclair (0-1, 4.22)...Saturday night is Pink in the Park night recognizing Breast Cancer awareness. Chiefs players will be wearing pink uniforms that will be auctioned off during and after the game. It is also the first fireworks night of the season at O'Brien Field...The game can be heard starting with the pre-game show at 6:15 PM on 96.5 ESPN Radio and www.peoriachiefs.com.

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