Kelly Delivers Chiefs Second Straight Extra-Inning Win

PEORIA, IL- Carson Kelly's single in the 12th inning scored Jimmy Bosco to give the Peoria Chiefs their second consecutive extra-inning win in a 2-1 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Saturday night. The win, in front of a season-high 5,822 fans, gives the Chiefs a record of 25-16.

   The Chiefs scored a run in the first inning for the second straight game. Juan Herrera singled with one out and stole second base with two outs. Ronald Castillo singled him in for a 1-0 lead, his 29th RBI.

   Wisconsin tied it against Chiefs starter Michael Holback in the fourth. Michael Ratterree singled with one out and stole second. After a strikeout, Rafael Neda singled him home and Holback was replaced by Jhonny Polanco.

   Each team had a chance to take the lead in the eighth inning. Wisconsin put runners at the corners with one out against Chase Brookshire. Mason Katz fielded a ground ball at first base and threw out the runner trying to score. After a wild pitch moved a runner into scoring position, Brookshire got a strikeout to end the inning. Peoria loaded the bases on a pair of errors and a walk to Kelly but fly outs by Castillo and Kenny Peoples-Walls left them all stranded.

   Michael Schulze had a great defensive top of the ninth. He started a 5-4-3 double play by leaping for a high one-hopper, with second baseman Richy Pedroza making a tough relay to first to complete it. The next batter hit a hard line drive to Schulze's left that he dove full extension for to make the catch and end the inning.

   The Chiefs won the game in the 12th. After the first two batters were retired, Bosco and Herrera singled to put runners on first and second. Kelly lined a one-ball pitch into left-center to score Bosco and give the Chiefs the 2-1 win.

   Holback pitched the first 3 2/3 innings in his season debut, allowing a run on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Polanco tossed the next 3 1/3 innings of shutout ball allowing one hit with two strikeouts and a hit batter. Brookshire went two shutout innings allowing a hit with a walk and a strikeout. Kevin Herget followed with 1 2/3 innings on one hit with four strikeouts. Steve Sabatino (2-0) worked 1 1/3 perfect innings with two strikeouts for the win.

Notes: In a pre-game ceremony for Washington Strong night the Chiefs presented Washington Mayor Gary Manier with a check for $15,600 raised for the Central Illinois Tornado Relief Fund through website auctions over the winter…The jersey auction for Washington raised another $4,825 as the Chiefs honored Washington residents on the six-month anniversary of the tornadoes that destroyed over 1000 homes…The 12-inning game is the Chiefs longest game by innings this season…Kelly threw out three runners trying to steal…Castillo's 29 RBI ties him for the Midwest League lead…Herrera had his fourth three-hit game of the season…Herrera stole two bases for the second straight game to give him a team-high 16, which is also fourth in the Midwest League…The Chiefs are 4-0 in extra-inning games this season…The Chiefs have played two straight extra-inning games at home, their first two of the year…The four-game series wraps up Sunday at 2:00 p.m….RHP Arturo Reyes (2-2, 3.24) takes the hill for Peoria while RHP Taylor Williams (1-0, 3.25) starts for Wisconsin…The first 1,000 kids age 12 and under will receive a Youth Home Replica Jersey courtesy of Hardee's…The first 1,000 fans will also receive a Rob Kaminsky player poster courtesy of the Peoria Journal Star…It's also Princess Day, with Ariel, Cinderella, and Mulan from Glass Slipper Entertainment in attendance…Tickets for kids are $5…Kids will also receive a free hot dog, bag of chips, and soda courtesy of PNC…Kids can also run the bases after the game…All fans can play catch on the field before the game…All fans can get autographs from Chiefs players on the field before the game…It's also Big Brothers Big Sisters Day…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 1:40 p.m., on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android. The broadcast is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App.