MWL Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Stave off Lugnuts Rally to Win 7-6

Published on June 18, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Lansing, MI- The Chiefs bent, but did not break in their 7-6 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts Sunday at Jackson Field. The win is Peoria's third of the series, splitting the set on the road.

The Chiefs got out to a five-run lead by scoring six runs in the fourth inning off Lugnuts starter Mitch Myers. Jimmy Crooks opened the inning with a single and moved to third on a Jeremy Rivas double. Osvaldo Tovalin reached on an error to score Crooks. A Ramon Mendoza SAC fly scored Rivas to make it a 3-2 Peoria lead. Tovalin was then on third after a Thomas Francisco single when Tyler Reichenborn laid down a squeeze bunt to make it 4-2. Three straight singles followed to extend the lead to 6-2.

Myers was charged for seven runs over 3.2 innings of work, allowing eight hits, walking one and striking out four.

The Chiefs opened the scoring in the second inning against Myers. Back-to-back singles by Rivas and Tovalin put runners on with one out. After a wild pitch moved the runners, Ramon Mendoza put down a squeeze bunt, scoring Rivas to make it 1-0.

Mendoza drove in a team-high two runs while Rivas and Francisco each went 2-for-4.

The Lugnuts had an answer in their half of the second to take the lead against Chiefs starter Alex Cornwell. Jonny Butler led off with a single. After stealing second base, Junior Perez brought him home with a double. After a single put runners on the corners, a ground out brought Perez home and gave Lansing a 2-1 lead.

That was the only damage done against Cornwell, who went five innings allowing the two runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts to earn his fifth win of the year.

The Lansing bullpen combined for 5.1 scoreless innings in relief of Myers, keeping them in the game.

The Lugnuts came within one run in the seventh against Gustavo Rodriguez. Max Muncy started the rally with a double. He scored on a Drew Swift single, after a walk, Butler hammered a home run to right field to cut the Chiefs lead to 7-6.

Butler and Muncy combined for half of the Lugnuts' 12 hits in the game.

Roy Garcia entered after the Lansing rally and locked down the game for the Chiefs. The right-hander faced the minimum over three innings of work, striking out six. Garcia struck out the side in the ninth to secure the win.

Peoria gets back in the win column after dropping three straight. They improve to 31-32 while Lansing falls to 29-33. After the league-wide off day on Monday, the Chiefs continue their road trip with a visit to Quad Cities to meet the River Bandits for the first time this year.

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