Chiefs split double header with Cougars
June 1, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Peoria, IL - After dropping a heartbreaker 2-1 in 12 innings in game one of a doubleheader continued from Wednesday night, the Peoria Chiefs bounced back to split the twin bill with a 7-6 win over the Kane County Cougars in extra innings Thursday night at O'Brien Field. As a result, the Chiefs split the four-game set with their division foe and will welcome in the Fort Wayne Wizards for a five game series beginning with a doubleheader starting at 6:00 PM Friday night.
With game one still knotted at one in inning number 12, Kane County pulled ahead. Wes Long ripped a long HR to left, his fifth of the year, to put the Cougars up 2-1. The Chiefs didn't put together any sort of rally offensively in the bottom half, going down in order.
The Cougars scored first in game one in the top of the second. Jeff Baisley reached on an infield single to lead off the inning. Steve Kleen walked and both runners advanced on an Issac Omura sacrifice bunt. Baisley then came in to score on a groundball to second, a play that resulted in a fielding error.
The Chiefs got even in the eighth. Davy Gregg had an infield single to lead off the frame and moved up to second on a Robinson Chirinos sacrifice bunt. One batter later with two outs and Gregg on third, Jesus Valdez came through with a clutch RBI single on a liner up the middle to tie the game at one.
Game one starter Donnie Veal went two innings giving up one run and was replaced by Scott Taylor on the resumption of play on Thursday. Taylor was brilliant in his first relief appearance of the year. He threw seven shutout innings giving up five hits. Jeff Teasley picked up the loss. He gave up the home run in his final inning of three. Vince Mazzaro for Kane County went two innings as well before being pulled due to the suspension of play. Jeff Gray came on in relief and went seven innings giving one run on five hits. Dan Fyvie got the win and Steve Sharpe earned his 11th save of the year.
With game two tied 6-6 in extra innings in the top of the eighth, the Chiefs finally put away Kane County. Mark Reed chopped an infield single to start it and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Taylor. Reed then moved to third on an infield single by Matt Ciaramella, who came in earlier to pinch-run for Alberto Garcia. Jake Muyco stepped in and the Chiefs catcher didn't disappoint. Already with a three-run homer earlier in the game, Muyco, with a 2-2 count, bounced one towards third. Baisley came home with it and tried to get Reed at the plate, but he slid underneath the catcher's tag to give the Chiefs a 7-6 extra inning win.
Following a game one where Peoria didn't score until the eighth inning, the Chiefs busted out the big lumber in game two. The Chiefs tallied three early in the bottom of the second. With the game scoreless, Ryan Norwood and Reed hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. After a couple of flyouts, Muyco stepped to the plate. The Chiefs' catcher slugged a three run shot down the left field line for his second homer of the year giving the Chiefs an early 3-0 lead.
Kane County answered back in the top of the third. The Cougars loaded the bases with one away. Starter Jesse Estrada struck out Kleen, but Baisley came through yet again for Kane County when he bounced one through the left side of the infield to bring home two runners. Another baserunner came in to score on a wild pitch by Estrada with Anthony Recker at the plate to tie the game up at 3. The game was tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the third. Jesus Valdez hit a lead-off single and with one away and a full count, Norwood tomahawked one well over the wall in left to help reclaim the lead. One batter later, Taylor showed some pop of his own when he launched a solo homer into the lawn in left field as well to give the Chiefs a 6-3 advantage.
The Cougars got a single run in the fifth. With one away, Baisley delivered a sacfrifice fly to get Kane County within two at 6-4. The Cougars scored two in their last at-bat in the top of the seventh to tie it. Kleen tripled with one away and was brought home on a RBI single by Baisley, his fourth of the game and 48th run driven-in on the year. That crept the Cougars within one at 6-5. Recker then doubled moving runners to second and third with only one away for Jose Pineda, who lifted a sac fly to center to tie the game off of Ed Campusano and the Chiefs in the ninth.
Estrada started his first game of the year going three innings and giving up three runs, two of them earned on three hits. The righty struck out four. Scott Koerber came on in relief and picked up the victory. He tossed three innings and gave up a run on three hits. Campusano pitched just the one inning and allowed two runs on three hits. T.J. Franco started for the Cougars. Also making his first start if the year, the right-hander went 2 1/3 innings allowing five runs on six hits.
Pepsi Players of the Game
Davy Gregg (CF) & Jake Muyco (C) - In game one, the Chiefs' center fielder was 1-4 with a walk in the contest and scored the game-tying run in the eighth. He also swiped his 11th bag of the year. In game two, Muyco was 1-4 with a run scored and 4 driven-in. His night was highlighted with that three-run homer and the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the eighth.
Notes...The scoring in the second by the Chiefs was the first run scored off Franco in his last seven appearances...Attendance Thursday night was 4,793.... The three long balls hit by the Chiefs was a season high for a single game....Jonathon Mota celebrated his 19th birthday today at the ballpark while Davy Gregg turned 23 on Wednesday....RHP Todd Blackford (4-1, 4.25) will start on the mound tomorrow going up against a pitcher TBA for Fort Wayne......First pitch of the first game is slated for 6:00 PM and the pre-game show will kick-off at 5:45 on www.peoriachiefs.com.
Midwest League Stories from June 1, 2006
- Chiefs split double header with Cougars - Peoria Chiefs
- Rattlers beat Bees in 11th - Burlington Bees
- Mosebach sparkles, offense sputters as streak ends - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Rattlers head home with a win - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Swing Send Snappers to Three Game Slide - Beloit Sky Carp
- Swing finish off Snappers in Beloit - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Phillips' shutout ends slide - Clinton LumberKings
- Devil Rays stun Lugnuts late - Lansing Lugnuts
- South Bend's Main Event Returns - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Lugnuts Job Fair This Saturday - Lansing Lugnuts
- Teacher's Pet - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Hit batsmen score, end Whitecaps win streak - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Dragons Defeat Whitecaps, End Skid - Dayton Dragons
- Silver Hawks update - South Bend Silver Hawks
- 51st Fort Wayne Wizard Reaches Major Leagues - Fort Wayne TinCaps
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
