MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Soto Promoted to Daytona as Morelli Returns

August 3, 2011 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


Peoria, IL- The Peoria Chiefs and Chicago Cubs have announced a pair of roster moves before Wednesday's game. Infielder Elliot Soto has been promoted to Advanced-A Daytona while reliever Robinson Lopez has landed on the disabled list for the second time this season. Joining the Chiefs are 2010 outfielder Jesus Morelli and reliever Ramon Garcia.

Morelli, 21, joins the Chiefs from Boise where he hit .273 with one home run and four RBI in nine games this season. Before joining Boise on July 20 he was 2-for-8 with a homer and two RBI in two games for Rookie Level Mesa. Morelli was on the Chiefs 2010 Opening Day roster and appeared in ten games hitting .276 with one RBI and five runs scored. He finished the 2010 season with Boise hitting .248 with 13 doubles and 24 RBI in 69 games. A native of Venezuela, Morelli signed with the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent on September 14, 2007 as a 17-year-old and hit .279 in 38 games in 2009 with Mesa in the Arizona Rookie League while driving in 14 runs and scoring 26 times.

Garcia, who turned 20 on Tuesday, joins the Chiefs from the Arizona Rookie League where he was 5-0 with a 3.12 ERA in nine outings this season including one start. In that start on July 27 against the AZL Athletics, Garcia threw five shutout innings and struck out four while allowing just four hits. Garcia joined Double-A Tennessee on July 8 for one relief appearance and he allowed just one run on four hits over three innings with two strikeouts. Garcia went 6-1 with the Dominican Summer League Cubs in 2010, with a 0.97 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 46.1 innings in seven starts and 12 appearances. He signed as a free agent with the Cubs on May 3, 2008 out of Venezuela

Soto was the anchor of the Chiefs defense this season with just seven errors in 59 starts at shortstop and eight overall errors in 83 infield starts. A versatile fielder, Soto turned in outstanding plays at short, second base and third base. The All-Star hit .261 with 11 doubles, one triple, 35 runs scored and 24 RBI in 87 appearances this season. His double in the eighth inning tied Burlington on Tuesday night and his single in the top of the 11th put the Chiefs on top at Clinton Sunday afternoon. Soto, 21, was drafted by the Cubs out of Creighton University in the 15th round of the 2010 draft and is a native of Algonquin, IL.

Lopez returns to the disabled list for the second time this season, this time with right shoulder soreness. He was also on the DL with an adductor strain from June 16 to July 9. The 20-year-old last threw on Monday in Clinton allowing two runs, one earned on two hits and three walks over 1 2/3 innings. Since coming off the DL on July 9, Lopez was 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA in six outings. He allowed 14 runs, 12 earned on 17 hits and 10 innings of work with eight walks and just three strikeouts from July 10 - August 1. For the season Lopez is 4-3 with a save and a 5.61 ERA in 21 games and four starts. Lopez joined the Chiefs in late August, 2010 after being acquired from Atlanta in exchange for first baseman Derrek Lee.

The Chiefs' eight-game homestand continues Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. with $1 hot dogs, $1 sodas and $1 ice cream sandwiches and a Salute to the Asian Carp. Thursday at 7:00 p.m. is a Thirsty Thursday with $2 16 ounce domestic drafts and fountain sodas. The series against Burlington ends Friday at 7:00 p.m. with an appearance by Breakin BBoy McCoy and the Media Madness Bobble Head Giveaway presented by CEFCU.

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