Chiefs Sweep First-place Clinton 9-7
June 8, 2008 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Chiefs Sweep First-place Clinton 9-7 Johnston drives in six; Wyatt goes 4-5 with four runs in debut with Peoria
Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs swept first-place Clinton with a 9-7 win on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,373 fans to end the four-game series. This was the first time the Chiefs swept a four-game series at O'Brien Field since July 2006, when they also took all four games against the LumberKings. Clinton scored the first run of the game in the first and jumped to a quick lead. With one out, Renny Osuna singled and was followed by a single from Tim Smith. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch from Chiefs starter Robert Hernandez. Osuna scored when Hernandez balked to put the LumberKings up 1-0. The Chiefs answered right back in their half of the inning with a run of their own. Jonathan Wyatt made his debut with the Chiefs with a double to right center off Clinton starter Fabio Castillo. Wyatt advanced to third on a fly out from Nate Samson, and Marquez Smith's groundout brought him in to score and tie the game. The LumberKings scored again in the third on Hernandez's third balk of the day. After being hit with a pitch, Engel Beltre stole second, and balk number two brought him to third. Another balk brought Beltre home to put Clinton up 2-1. Two more were driven in for the Chiefs to give them a 3-2 lead in the third. Wyatt singled and stole second base, followed by an infield single by Smith. Dylan Johnston came to the plate with two out to drive home both runners with a single to right field before he was caught stealing to end the inning. A two-run homer off the bat of Jonathan Greene in the fourth again put the LumberKings ahead of Peoria. Mitch Moreland doubled to right with one out and was followed by Greene's home run to left before the Chiefs got out of the inning trailing 4-3. Clinton furthered their lead in the fifth and got ahead of the Chiefs 6-3. Beltre led off the inning with a triple to right and scored on a groundout by Osuna. A double by Smith and a single from Ian Gac put two more runners on for Clinton, and Moreland drove in another run with an infield single to first. Craig Muschko came in to relieve Hernandez and ended the inning as Greene bounced into a double play. The Chiefs responded in the bottom of the fifth. Wyatt reached on an error by shortstop Osuna and stole his second base of the game to put him in scoring position. After a fly out by Samson, Castillo walked the next two batters to load the bases and bring Johnston to the plate. Johnston hit a sacrifice fly to score Wyatt and put the Chiefs down 6-4. Peoria jumped back into the lead in the sixth inning off Clinton reliever Ryan Tatusko. Bautista singled to left to start the inning. Andersen grounded out to put one down and advance Bautista, and Guzman was walked by Tatusko to put two runners on. Wyatt came up and drove Bautista home with his third hit of the day and moved to second on an error by right fielder Moreland. Samson drove home the tying run with a single to center, to tie the game 6-6. The bases were loaded when Smith walked. Johnston came to the plate and drove home all three runners with a double to centerfield, putting the Chiefs up 9-6. Clinton added a run to in the seventh against Muschko. Smith began the inning with a single but was thrown out when Gac grounded into a fielders choice. Gac advanced on a groundout by Moreland, and Greene drove him in on a single to center, cutting the Chiefs lead to 9-7. Blake Parker relieved Muschko with two on and two out. After a single loaded the bases, Miguel Alfonso bounced out to end the inning. The LumberKings brought the tying runs to the plate in the eight and ninth innings but couldn't get any closer against Parker. Hernandez worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits. He struck out a season-high seven batters. Craig Muschko relieved Hernandez and pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run and four hits and picking up his first career win. Blake Parker threw 2 1/3 innings and allowed two hits while walking two, gaining his second save of the season.
Player of the Game - Dylan Johnston (RF) - Johnston drove in a career-high six runs and became the first Chiefs player since Yusuf Carter in 2006 to drive in six runs in the game. Dylan finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk and sacrifice fly. He finished the series 5-for-9 with seven runs driven in.
Notes... This was Peoria's fourth straight game with ten or more hits...The last four-game sweep at home for the Chiefs was July 3-6 in 2006...Johnston was the first Chief to have more than five RBI in a game since Yusuf Carter drove in six on 7/1/06 at Burlington...The Chiefs are 11-2 in their last 13 games at home and have won their last three series at home...Wyatt is the first Chiefs player to score four runs in a game since Aaron Sisk did so on 6/9/05 against Beloit...In the 13 innings in which Clinton scored the Chiefs answered nine times with the same amount or more runs in the bottom half of that inning...Bautista has hit in a personal best eight straight games...Hernandez struck out a season-high seven batters...The Chiefs turned two double plays to increase their league-leading total to 65... The two teams have had a combined total of 101 hits throughout the series...Peoria is now 1-4 in games played at home on Sundays...The Chiefs travel to Davenport, IA on Monday to begin a four-game commuter series with the Quad Cities River Bandits at 7:00 PM...The Chiefs took three-of-four games in Quad Cities May 19-22...Peoria will send LH Chris Siegfried (1-4, 6.28) to the mound against RH Thomas Eager (2-2, 5.48) for the River Bandits....The game can be heard live beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 PM online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350 AM.
Midwest League Stories from June 8, 2008
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- Snappers Fall; Split Series - Beloit Sky Carp
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