MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Lalli, Chiefs Homer Way Past Silver Hawks

Published on July 17, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


South Bend, IN - The Peoria Chiefs scored twice in the first inning and hit three solo homers to start a four game series in South Bend with an 8-3 win Tuesday night. The victory, powered by two Blake Lalli homers, moves the Chiefs to 14-10 in the half as they stay in first place.

Peoria got the series off to a promising start in the first inning against Hawks starter Anthony Barnette. Ryne Malone led off with a single to right and came around to score when Jim Adduci tripled into the left-centerfield gap. After a lineout, Russ Canzler put the Chiefs up 2-0 with a hard groundout to shortstop that scored Adduci.

The Chiefs added to their lead in the second inning against Barnette. With one out, catcher Wellington Castillo worked a four pitch walk and advanced to second on a ground out. Nate Samson singled into center to score Castillo for a 3-0 Peoria lead. The Silver Hawks got on the board in their half of the second when MWL RBI-leader Danny Perales launched a solo homer into the right field berm off Chiefs starter Jose Pina. The homer was the 12th of the season for Perales, and his second off Pina in as many games.

Both teams added runs in the fourth on solo homers. For the Chiefs, Blake Lalli drilled his second homer of the season into the right field berm for a 4-1 Peoria lead. Each of Lalli's homers have come on the road this season. South Bend first baseman Brad Miller hit his 14th of the season in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead back down to two runs.

Peoria knocked Barnette from the game and added two runs in the seventh. With one out, Brian Leclerc doubled to left-center for his first extra base hit. Barnette walked Samson and was them removed for reliever Ramon Sanchez. After a groundout moved both runners up ninety feet, Adduci doubled to right-center to add a pair of runs and give the Chiefs a 6-2 lead.

South Bend came right back against Chiefs reliever Jayson Ruhlman in their half of the seventh. With one out, Ruhlman hit Ricardo Sosa and then Yunesky Sanchez delivered a RBI double to center to cut the Peoria lead to 6-3. After a strikeout, Matt Oxendine singled to center but Leclerc threw a one-hop strike and Castillo blocked the plate to tag out Sanchez and end the inning.

A pair of solo homers for the Chiefs in the top of the eighth put the game away. With one out, Lalli crushed the Chiefs longest homer of the season, his second of the game, over everything in right field. Two batters later, Castillo hit one out to left for an 8-3 lead. Castillo's homer was his sixth of the season and second in his last four games.

Pina tossed six innings allowing two runs on a pair of solo homers. Overall he gave up four hits and walked one while striking out one. Ruhlman allowed one run on three hits and two hit batters in one inning of work. Alex Maestri got the Chiefs out of trouble in the eight and allowed just one base runner while striking out two in two innings of work.

Gorman's Pub Player of the Game Jim Adduci (RF) & Blake Lalli (DH) - Adduci tripled home the Chiefs first run in the top of the 1st and scored in the inning. He doubled home two in the 7th and single in the 9th to finish 3-for-5 with two extra base hits and three RBI. Lalli homered in the 4th and 8th innings for his first career multi-homer game. The Chiefs DH has 12 hits in his last seven games and finished the game 2-for-4.

Notes...Blake Lalli is now 12-for-27 in his seven game hit streak with his first multi-homer game...The only other time the Chiefs hit three homers in the same game was June 2nd at home against Beloit...Today's game kicks off a stretch where the Chiefs play each team in the Eastern Division four times for 24 consecutive games out of the division...Peoria went 15-9 against the East in the first half...Lalli's homer was the first for the Chiefs in 44 2/3 innings...Pina has now allowed 14 homers on the season, three shy of the team's single season record...The Chiefs four new players, Darwin Barney, Leon Johnson, Clark Hardman and Jose Ceda arrived in the bottom of the first inning after numerous flight delays out of Chicago...The four game series continues on Wednesday at 7:00 EST when the Chiefs send RH Marco Carrillo (3-3, 4.56) against Silver Hawks LHP Jordan Norberto (5-4, 5.31)...The game can be heard live beginning with the pre-game show at 5:45 PM Central time online at www.peoriachiefs.com or on WOAM 1350.

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Midwest League Stories from July 17, 2007


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