MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs top Kernels 7-4 Thursday Night

Published on May 29, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs defeated the visiting Cedar Rapids Kernels 7-4 in the second game of a four-game series on Thursday night at O'Brien Field. The win improves the Chiefs to 21-32 overall on the season and 4-2 on the current eight-game homestand.

The Chiefs took the lead for the first time in six games in the second inning against Kernels starter Jordan Walden. Marquez Smith and Dylan Johnston drew back-to-back walks to start the inning against Walden. Cliff Andersen found a hole on the right side of the infield for a base hit that allowed Smith to score from second to make it 1-0. With two runners in scoring position, Elvis Lara hit the first pitch he saw into the left field berm to extend the lead to 4-0.

Cedar Rapids got on the board against Chris Siegfried in the fourth inning. With one out, Jay Brossman hit a solo home run to cut the Chiefs lead to 4-1. After Siegfried got Jeremy Moore to ground out for the second out, Julio Perez homered on the first pitch he saw to make it a 4-2 Chiefs lead.

Peoria got a run back against Walden in their half of the fourth inning. Johnston started the inning by doubling off the wall in dead center field. Cliff Andersen singled to left to put runners at the corners with only one out. Lara reached on a fielders choice that scored Johnston to make it 5-2, but Andersen was cut down trying to go to third base on the play.

Smith added a solo homer for the Chiefs in the sixth inning against Kernels reliever Esmerlin Jimenez. The blast, Smith's sixth of the season and third of the homestand, put the Chiefs up 6-2. Smith picked up a second RBI in the seventh inning when he drove home Josh Donaldson with a fielders choice to put Peoria in front 7-2.

Cedar Rapids finally got to Kreier in the eighth inning after he had retired the first 11 batters he faced. Andrew Romine singled with two outs and advanced to second on an error by Brandon Guyer in left. Hector Estrella singled to right in front of a diving Johnston to score Romine to make it 7-3. Efren Navarro followed with an RBI double to center to sore Estrella and cut the Chiefs lead to 7-4.

Siegfried allowed a pair of runs on four hits in four innings of work in his second start since returning from the disabled list. He struck out three batters and did not issue a walk, but he did allow a pair of solo home runs. Kreier pitched four innings out of the bullpen for the second straight time and earned his second straight win. He struck out three and did not walk a batter. Steve Vento worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, including striking out two of the three batters he faced, to pick up his team-leading fourth save.

Player of the Game - Elvis Lara (DH) - Lara drove home a career-high four runs in his first two at-bats to put the Chiefs out in front. His second homer of the season got just over the left-field wall in the second for a 4-0 Chiefs lead, and Lara's second at-bat delivered a RBI fielders choice.

Notes... Chiefs pitchers did not issue a walk in the game...Lara's four RBI is a new career high surpassing the three runs he drove in on May 11th in Clinton...Smith leads the team in homers at O'Brien Field this season and now has a season-high nine game hit streak...Peoria has now allowed a MWL-high 46 home runs in 53 games...Walden is ranked by Baseball America as the 3rd best prospect in the Angels system...The four-game series continues Friday evening at 6:30...The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be on hand for the second straight year at O'Brien Field...The first 2,000 fans through the gates will receive a Joe Girardi caricature t-shirt, the first of four t-shirt giveaways this season... Peoria will activate RH Dae-Eun Rhee (3-1, 2.12) from the DL to start against Kernels LH Michael Anton (6-2, 1.94)...The game can be heard live beginning with the pre-game show online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350 AM.

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Midwest League Stories from May 29, 2008


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