Chiefs Win 7-3 Friday Night
April 4, 2008 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Burlington, IA - The Peoria Chiefs received a strong pitching outing from South Korean Dae-Eun Rhee and offense from Drew Rundle and Josh Donaldson in a 7-3 victory against the Burlington Bees Friday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 1-1 on the young season and the four-game series will continue in Iowa Saturday night.
After allowing a single and long flyout in the first frame, Rhee struck out the side in the second inning. He pitched out of a jam in the fourth with help from second baseman Nate Samson's diving stop and then struck out the last two batters he faced in the fifth. With the score still tied 0-0 in the sixth inning, Burlington went to the bullpen and brought in Eduardo Paulino to relieve Matt Mitchell. Chiefs centerfielder Drew Rundle greeted Paulino with a first-pitch solo homer over the wall in right-center field for the first run of the game. The homer, Peoria's first of the season, ended a 14 inning scoring drought to begin the season.
In the seventh inning, Jovan Rosa started off with a single for the Chiefs and was forced at second on a grounder off the bat of Cliff Andersen. Andersen then stole second and Dylan Johnston drew a walk. Rundle doubled off the wall in center as Andersen scored, but Johnston was thrown out at the plate on the play. After Marwin Gonzalez singled, an error by Burlington's shortstop Mike Moustakas allowed two more Chiefs to score for a 4-0 lead.
Burlington got on the board in the seventh against Chiefs reliever Blake Parker. Jason Taylor and Clint Robinson started the frame with walks against Parker. After a pop-up, Antonio Jimenez singled to center to score Robinson and get the Bees on the board. Peoria got out if the inning on a 6-4-3 double play off the bat or Ryan Eigsti.
The Bees narrowed the Chiefs lead in the eighth against reliever Steve Vento. Adrian Ortiz led off with a single and stole second base. With two outs, Moustakas delivered his first RBI of the season with a single up the middle and a 4-2 Chiefs lead. Vento allowed another infield single before inducing a flyball to center to end the inning. Peoria broke the game open in the ninth against reliever Steve Vento. With one out, Rundle was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a double by Gonzalez. After a flyout, Marquez Smith walked to load the bases. Catcher Josh Donaldson cleared the bases with a line-drive double to the wall in left for a 7-2 cushion.
Rhee picks up the win with five scoreless innings and five strikeouts in his professional debut. The South Korea native walked one and allowed just two hits. Vento collects his first save of the season despite allowing two runs and six hits in two innings of work. Player of the Game - Drew Rundle (CF) - Rundle ended the Chiefs scoring drought at 14 innings with a lead-off home run in the sixth inning. He added a RBI double in the seventh and also scored in the inning. Rundle was hit by a pitch in the ninth and scored to finish 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored.
Notes...The Chiefs lost five runners on the basepaths during the game...Rhee is the first Korean born player to wear the Chiefs uniform...The Chiefs have not scored a run this season against a starting pitcher...Peoria finished with five doubles and six extra-base hits in the game, Rosa had two of the doubles...Moustakas, the 2nd overall pick in last June's draft, committed three of the Bees four errors in the game...Peoria has more wins against the Bees (192) than any other MWL team with Quad Cities next (170)...Burlington swapped their #2 and #3 starters before the contest...The four-game commuter series continues Saturday night at 6:30 when the Chiefs send LH Chris Siegfried (0-0, 0.00) to the mound debut against RH Ed Cegarra (0-0, 0.00)...The pregame show begins on 1350 WOAM and www.peoriachiefs.com at 6:15 pm.
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