LumberKings are Playoff Bound

Peoria, IL - The LumberKings are heading back to the Midwest League Playoffs with a 4-2 win over Peoria, and a 6-0 Wisconsin loss to Quad Cities. 

The playoff appearance is the ninth out of the last eleven years for the Clinton franchise. The team has won a pair of Midwest League Championship's and has finished runner-up five times. 

Clinton never trailed against Peoria Friday night in the series finale. They got on the board first when they plated two runs in the fourth inning. Tyler Marlette started the action with an RBI groundout and Gaby Guerrero singled to make it 2-0. 

Peoria evened the game in the bottom half of the inning. A lead-off walk by C.J. McElroy, Jr. came back to hurt Rigoberto Garcia when Jordan Walton doubled to the wall to drive in the first run for the Chiefs. Two batters later, Trevor Martin tied the game with a run-scoring single.

In the fifth, Brock Hebert started the inning by reaching on an error. He moved to second on a wild pitch and came into score when Peoria catcher Jonathan Keener mishandled a throw from McElroy Jr. on Dario Pizzano's single to center. 

With the 3-2 lead, Garcia continued to dazzle on the bump. The right-hander worked seven strong innings, allowing only two runs in the process. 

With one out in the ninth, Zach Shank walked to start a rally. Luis Caballero grounded out, putting Shank at second for Brock Hebert. The shortstop came up with a clutch RBI double off the left field wall, scoring Shank to make it 4-2.

George Mieses allowed a lead-off walk in the bottom of the ninth but retired the next three in order to seal the win. 

One hour later, Quad Cities finished off a 6-0 win in Wisconsin, eliminating the Timber Rattlers from the playoff race. 

Clinton returns home for a three-game series against Cedar Rapids set to begin Saturday. Game one vs. Beloit will be at Ashford University Field on Wednesday at 6:30 PM.