MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs Win 6-2 Monday

Published on April 16, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs used the long ball to power past the Cedar Rapids Kernels Monday night at Peoria Chiefs Stadium, winning 6-2 with a pair of two-run homers from Ryan Cuneo and a solo shot from Oliver Zapata. The win gives the Chiefs (5-6) their first winning streak of the campaign and they'll look to make it three in a row Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. as they host Cedar Rapids in the second game of the series.

After setting down the first two Chiefs he saw in the top of the first, Kernels starter Austin Wood gave up back to back singles to Rafael Lopez and Cuneo to make it first and third for Paul Hoilman. Hoilman ripped an RBI double down the left field line to give the Chiefs an early 1-0 lead before Wood escaped the threat.

Zeke DeVoss led off the bottom of the third with a single to center. With the next batter Wes Darvill at the plate, DeVoss took off for second and beat out a would-be double play ball to the shortstop with Darvill out at first. After a Lopez flyout to left, DeVoss advanced to third on a wild pitch. With Cuneo up, the first baseman made sure DeVoss didn't have to run anymore as he blasted a two-run homerun over the elevated wall in right to make it 3-0.

Chiefs starter Michael Jensen picked up where he left off on Wednesday when he finished off Quad Cities with 5 1/3 shutout innings. He kept the Kernels off the board into the fourth inning before allowing a solo homerun to Andy Workman that cleared the newly planted palm trees in left, making it 3-1.

Coming out of the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth, Kernels' reliever Frank DeJiolio set down the first two Chiefs he saw before another Lopez single kept the inning alive. Cuneo stepped in once again and blasted another two-run shot over the wall in right to give Peoria the 5-1 advantage.

With two outs in the sixth, Oliver Zapata wasted no time adding to the Chiefs' lead as he hit another homerun onto the Pepsi Picnic Plaza in right, making it 6-1. The homer was the second in as many games for Zapata who put the Chiefs on top in the 11th inning Saturday with a solo shot in Wisconsin.

The Kernels took a bite out the deficit in the top of seventh. Reliever Austin Reed walked the first man he saw out of the pen, and allowed a single to Workman. With runners on first and second, Ryan Jones rolled a grounder to second. DeVoss and Hernandez were unable to turn two but did get the out at second. With runners on the corners, Wendell Soto was able to bring home Abel Baker from third with a force out to second, making it 6-2. Reed finished off the inning with a strikeout and the Chiefs cruised through the final two innings to preserve the homestand-opening win.

Jensen (3-0) turned in his second quality start of the young season, going six innings, allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out five. Reed replaced Jensen in the seventh and went two innings, allowing one run on two hits, walking one, and striking out three. Jeff Lorick pitched the ninth hurling one inning, walking one and striking out one to finish off the win.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Ryan Cuneo (1B) - For the first time in his professional career, Cuneo blasted two homeruns in Monday's ballgame. The 23-year-old finished 3-for-4 with a single to go along with the two homeruns, both two-run shots, along with four RBI out of the cleanup spot.

Notes: The win marks the first time the Chiefs have won back-to-back games in 2012...Jensen turned in his second quality start in three chances this season with his performance Monday...He also tied a career high in innings pitched with six... This was the ninth straight Chiefs game there has been a run in the first inning..Lopez had his team-leading third multi-hit game of the year...Cuneo's homerun in the fifth marked the first time he has hit two in a professional game...Zapata's homerun in the sixth gave him two in as many games with Peoria...Five extra base hits by Peoria is a season high...Monday was the first time Peoria hit more than one homerun in a single game...The six runs posted by Peoria tied a season high...Their 11 hits was a season high...Game two of the series will take place Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m...The Chiefs will start RH PJ Francescon (0-1, 3.48) against RH Michael Clevinger (0-0, 2.77)The broadcast can be heard, starting with the pre-game show at 6:15 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android.

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