MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Ninth Inning Rain Delay Ruins Chiefs Day

Published on July 9, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - The Peoria Chiefs were one pitch away from a series-clinching win Monday afternoon when a controversial decision to send the game into rain delay changed everything. Thirty-two minutes later, Eric Stamets ended the game with a bases-loaded double and the Chiefs fell 4-3 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Cedar Rapids jumped out to a third inning lead against Michael Jensen. Matt Scioscia led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout by Kevin Moesquit. After a strikeout, Alex Yarbrough made it 1-0 with a single to right.

The Chiefs didn't trail long as they rallied against Dan Reynolds in the fourth. Javier Baez tied the game with a one-out solo homer to right-center, his sixth of the season. The homer bounced off the top of the wall at the 390-foot sign and just out of the reach of rightfielder Gary Mitchell. Was Darvill laced a double to left to get into scoring position with one out. Yasiel Balaguert followed with a double of his own to put the Chiefs on top 2-1 before Reynolds got out of the inning.

The Chiefs added insurance in the ninth after Reynolds left the ballgame with a career-high 8 1/3 innings of work. With one down Stephen Tromblee entered the game and Darvill greeted him with a solo homer to right-center. The blast, Darvill's second of the season, put the Chiefs on top 3-1 heading to the bottom of the ninth.

The bottom of the ninth was interesting to say the least. Luis Liria came in for the save and walked Gary Mitchell to start the inning and then it started to rain. Zach Borenstein also drew a walk before Zach Wright bounced into a fielders' choice with Mitchell moving to third. Scioscia popped up in foul territory for the second out before Kevin Moesquit walked to load the bases. Eric Stamets had a 2-2 count before he asked for time and pine tar. To the objection of the Chiefs coaching staff, the umpires sent the game into a rain delay and called for the tarp. When the game resumed after 32 minutes, Stamets lifted the first pitch off the left-center field wall for a game-winning three-run double.

Jensen allowed one run on four hits over five innings of work. He walked one and struck out three. Sheldon McDonald allowed one hit over 1 2/3 shutout innings while walking one. Austin Reed threw 1 1/3 shutout innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Liria (1-3) took the loss allowing three runs on one hit and three walks in 2/3 of an inning.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Wes Darvill (3B) - Darvill doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth. He homered for an insurance run in the ninth and finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI.

Notes: Baez has hit safely in six straight gamesAll six of his homers have come on the road and he has two in the same series three times, at Kane County June 2-4, at Beloit June 12-14 and this series at Cedar RapidsBaez has 10 multi-hit games and three multi-hit efforts in his last four gamesDarvill's other homer came at the end of April at Lake CountyLiria is 4-for-6 in save chancesThe Chiefs are 36-3 when taking a lead into the ninth inning and 11-16 in one-run games McDonald lowered his ERA to a team-best 1.04The in-game rain delay was the first on the road for the Chiefs this seasonThe Chiefs are 2-4 in Cedar Rapids this season and 7-5 overall against the KernelsPeoria does not return to Cedar Rapids but will host the Kernels in both July and AugustThe entire Midwest League is off on Tuesday for the MLB All-Star Game, the first off day of the second half for the ChiefsPeoria returns home for a six-game homestand which starts Wednesday against Dayton at 7:00 p.m. with $1 hot dogs, $1 ice cream sandwiches and $1 fountain sodasAll tickets purchased for Wednesday's game by the END of Tuesday's All-Star Game are $4 in honor of ex-Chief Yadier Molina who was selected to his 4th All-Star Game and he wears the #4 as wellOn Wednesday the Chiefs will start RH Starling Peralta (1-4, 3.75) against Dayton RH Radhames Quezada (5-6, 3.56)The Wednesday through Friday series will be Dayton's first trip to Peoria since July 2010 when the Chiefs completed a three-game sweepWednesday also starts a stretch of 12 straight games against the Eastern Division with home series against Dayton and Bowling Green and trips to West Michigan and South BendThe Chiefs were 4-8 against the East in the first half.

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Midwest League Stories from July 9, 2012


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