Chiefs Sweep TinCaps With 4-1 Win
Peoria, IL- Five different players had a multi-hit night and four pitchers combined to allow one run as the Peoria Chiefs topped the Fort Wayne TinCaps 4-1 on Monday night. The win completed the sweep for Peoria, extended their winning streak to a season-high four and pushed their record to 14-12.
For the third time in the series the Chiefs scored first, supporting Kyle Helisek with a run the third inning off Walker Weickel. Casey Rasmus, who drove in the winning run on Sunday, reached base with a single. After Breyvic Valera singled, Alex Mejia drove the ball deep to center field, scoring Rasmus on the sacrifice fly. Meija's tenth RBI of the season put the Chiefs up 1-0.
The TinCaps came back with a run of their own in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs Gabriel Quintana singled. Diego Goris followed with a double to right field to score Quintana, tying the game at 1-1. It was the first run given up by the Chiefs in 20 2/3 innings. Helisek struck out Brian Adams to end the TinCaps' threat.
The Chiefs grabbed the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Patrick Wisdom drilled his team-leading seventh double of the season to open the frame. Carson Kelly followed with a single to center field, scoring Wisdom and putting the Chiefs up 2-1. Michael Swinson moved Kelly over to second base on a sacrifice bunt, and Charlie Tilson pushed him to third with a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Ildemaro Vargas then grounded out, stranding Kelly a third base.
Peoria extended the lead with two runs in the seventh inning. With one out Rasmus walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on a Valera bunt single. With runners at the corners and Mejia bating, catcher Dane Philips misplayed the pitch from Christopher Nunn. Rasmus scored on the pass ball and Valera advanced to second. With a runner in scoring position, Jacob Wilson drove in Valera with a single to center field. It was Wilson's team-leading 26th RBI, and the Chiefs led 4-1 after seven innings.
Helisek (2-1) pitched five innings giving up one run on four hits and striking out five. Corey Baker tossed two scoreless innings giving up two hits and striking out one. Joe Scanio struck out one in a perfect inning pitched. Dixon Llorens earned his fourth save of the season by striking out three in a perfect ninth.
Notes: With the win the Chiefs have a four-game winning streak, their longest of the season…Their sweep of the TinCaps is the second of the season and their first of more than one game … The Chiefs only gave up two total runs in their series with the TinCaps…The last time the Chiefs swept Fort Wayne was from July 30 -July 3, 1999, when the franchise was known as the "Wizards"…Valera's two-hit effort gives him a team high nine multi-hit games this season…Wisdom hit his team leading seventh double in the fourth inning...The Chiefs are 6-1 in games in which Rasmus is the starting catcher…The bullpen has now not allowed a run in 11 2/3 innings…Llorens made his 12th relief appearance and is tied for second in the MWL in games pitched…The run by the TinCaps in the fourth inning was their first run against the Chiefs in 20 2/3 innings…After a league-wide offday on Tuesday, Peoria begins a 12-game, nine-day road trip on Wednesday in Beloit, Wisconsin…The Chiefs will send RH Josh Lucas (0-1, 12.46) to the mound against Snappers RH Derek DeYoung (1-1, 3.66) at 6:30 p.m.…The next Chiefs home game is May 17 against Clinton.