Crooks, Scott Lead Chiefs to Second Consecutive Win
April 19, 2023 - Midwest League (MWL)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
Peoria, IL - Top 30 prospects Jimmy Crooks and Victor combined for seven hits as the Chiefs defeated the Fort WayTinCaps 6-3 at Dozer Park on Wend.
Both Crooks and Scott set new career highs in hits as Crooks went a perfect 4-for-4 while Scott turned in a 3-for-5 effort.
Scott kickstarted the Peoria offense in the first inning with a single and a stolen base. He later scored on a Jeremy Rivas sac fly to give Peoria a 1-0 lead.
Scott then started the Chiefs three-run fifth inning with a triple. The next batter, Nathan Church, plated Scott to make it 2-0. Crooks then collected his second hit of the night with a single, which began a stretch of three consecutive hits. Aaron McKiethan and Thomas Francisco chipped in to the string of hits to keep the line moving. With runners at second and third, Crooks scored on a balk by Fort Wayne pitcher Ethan Routzahn to make it a 3-0 contest. Then, it was Francisco who singled in Mckeithan to push the lead to 4-3..
Fort Wayne responded with three runs of its own in the top of the sixth against Chiefs starter Alex Cornwell who cruised for five scoreless innings. Back-to-back singles set up a Nathan Martorella three-run home run to make it 4-3.
The long ball was the only blemish on Cornwell's line, who went 5.1 innings and surrendered the three runs on the homer. He punched out four to earn his second win of the season. Garrett Hawkins took the loss for Fort Wayne. The righty went four innings giving up one run on four hits, striking out three.
Peoria extended its lead to 5-3 on a Scott RBI double in the bottom half of the sixth. Crooks led off the seventh with a double, his second of the game, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Francisco in the seventh made it 6-3.
Fort Wayne threatened in the ninth against Matt Hickey. Martorella represented the tying run at the plate with two outs in the frame. He flew out to right field to end the game. For Hickey, it was his second save of the series.
Peoria improves to 4-7 while Fort Wayne falls to 3-8. Game three of this series is set for tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. Cardinals 2022 first-round pick Cooper Hjerpe is set to take the mound for Peoria.
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