MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Rally for 4-2 Win over Cougars Thursday Night

Published on July 1, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Geneva, IL - The Peoria Chiefs finally overcame an early deficit for a 4-2 win over the Kane County Cougars on Thursday night in front of 3,036 fans at Elfstrom Stadium. The win improves the Chiefs to 3-4 on the half and 41-35 overall on the season.

Chiefs' starter Su-Min Jung pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first but wasn't as fortunate in the second. With one out and a runner on third Leonardo Gil struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt. Gil reached first safely as catcher Mario Mercedes picked Myrio Richard off third base allowing Gil to take first. Tyreace House drew a walk to move Gil to second and Connor Crumbliss gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead with a single to center.

The Cougars added to their lead in the third when Max Stassi took Jung deep for his 10th homer of the season. The solo shot put the Cougars on top 2-0 but would also mark their last run against Jung.

The Chiefs didn't manage a hit against Dan Straily through the first four innings and had just one baserunner, a walk drawn by Matt Cerda. Justin Bour led off the fifth with a solo homer to right-center for the Chiefs first hit and run. The homer, his eighth of the season, cut the Chiefs deficit to 2-1.

Two innings later the Chiefs sent Straily to the showers. Cerda led off with a double to right and with one out the Cougars elected to intentionally walk Bour. DJ Fitzgerald drew a walk to load the bases and Jae-Hoon Ha put the Chiefs up 3-2 with a single to left scoring both Cerda and Bour. Ha was caught stealing second before Charles Thomas drew a walk and AJ Huttenlocker relived Straily. Huttenlocker got Nelson Perez to fly out with two on to end the threat.

The Chiefs added an insurance run against Huttenlocker in the eighth. With one out and one on, Cerda reached on a fielders' choice and moved into scoring position on a single by Greg Rohan. Bour put the Chiefs up 4-2 with a single to right before the Cougars got out of the inning.

After Frank Batista held the Cougar scoreless in his two innings, Yohan Gonzalez came on for the eighth and struck out the first two batters. Jason Christian followed with a double and Richard reached on a bunt single to put the tying run on base. But Gonzalez froze Mike Gilmartin with an off-speed offering on the outside corner to end the threat.

Jung allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over five innings while striking out a career-high eight. Batista (1-0) earned his first career win with two hitless innings in which he walked two and struck out three. Gonzalez earned his third save with two shutout innings in which he allowed two hits and struck out three.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Justin Bour (DH) - As the DH on Thursday Bour was 2-for-3 with his team-leading eighth homer, two RBI and an intentional walk. He now has 19 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI games. Notes...Cerda has hit safely in five straight games...Bour leads the team with four intentional walks...Jung went five innings for the fourth straight start, a span which dates back to May 9 at Kane County when he lasted just four innings...Cerda leads the Chiefs with 48 runs scored after he scored twice Thursday...The three Chiefs hurlers struck out 14 Cougars batters, two shy of the team high this season...Hak-Ju Lee was 0-for-4 Thursday and he is 0-for-14 on the four game roadtrip...Nelson Perez had his 10th multi-hit game...The Chiefs are just 14-30 when they score four runs or less this season but 30-9 when allowing four runs or less...Peoria is now 9-5 in two run games...The Chiefs had lost five straight games when the opponent scored the first run of the game...Peoria is now 15-30 in such games...Infielder Elliot Soto joined the Chiefs on Thursday and is the first 2010 draftee on the roster...The Algonquin, IL native played his college ball at Creighton University and was a 15th round selection last month...The Chiefs are 2-2 at Kane County this season and 5-2 overall against the Cougars...The two teams have eight games left in Geneva, one at Wrigley Field and two in Peoria for the 18-game season series...The three-game series continues Friday at 7:05 p.m. as the Chiefs send RH Rob Whitenack (6-5, 5.94) against Cougars LH Ian Krol (5-2, 1.98)...Krol is the A's #16 prospect and a 19-year old Naperville, IL native...The broadcast can be heard starting with the pregame show at 6:50 p.m. on 96.5 ESPN and www.peoriachiefs.com.

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