LumberKings Edge Chiefs To Sweep First Round Playoff Series

                      

Peoria, IL - Time after time during the 2016 season, the LumberKings came up with the big play necessary to win the up. Up 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, that play manifested itself with Peoria having the tying run at second and the winning run at first. With two outs, Magneuris Sierra singled into left field, and pinch runner Matt Davis was waved home. Luis Liberato fired a one hop dart to Arturo Nieto, who held on and tagged out Davis to end the game. The win gave Clinton the two game sweep, moving them on to the Western Division Championship Series for the first time since 2012.

The LumberKings in the top of the third inning would draw first blood. Luis Liberato scorched a double down the left field line to start the frame, and after Ryan Helsley struck out Dalton Kelly, he walked Logan Taylor. Alex Jackson then drove one to deep right center field that fell just behind center fielder Magneuris Sierra and one hopped into the wall. Since the ball had a chance of being caught, the runners had to hold up, but Liberato was able to score, making it 1-0 LumberKings. Taylor moved to third and Jackson ended up at second with a double. The LumberKings would load the bases with two outs, but failed to get anything more.

In the fifth inning, the LumberKings would finally make Ryan Helsley pay. With one out, Alex Jackson walked, the fourth walk of the night issued by Helsley. Conner Hale then poked a single to right, advancing Jackson to second. Arturo Nieto then came up, and on an inside fastball, drilled the ball to deep left center, just over the glove of a sprinting Craig Aikin. It went for a double and scored both runners, extending the lead to 3-0. For Nieto, it was his third time on base in three plate appearances.

Meanwhile, Luiz Gohara was on point from the start. He retired the first eight men he faced in the game, with six of those coming on swinging strikeouts. Craig Aikin reached on an infield single, with two outs in the third, but Gohara got a ground out from Magneuris Sierra to end the frame. He then got the side in order in the fourth, and allowed just a two infield single to R.J. Dennard in the fifth. In the sixth inning, Magneuris Sierra reached on a one out error from shortstop Rayder Ascanio, but he made up for it by turning a 6-4-3 inning ending double play.

The LumberKings would get a solo blast from Chris Mariscal in the top of the sixth, extending the lead to 4-0. However, Peoria would not go quietly. In the bottom of the seventh, Eli Alvarez started the inning with a double down the left field line. Brian O'Keefe then got a hanging slider and crushed it to left field for a home run, cutting the Clinton lead in half. For O'Keefe, it was his fifth homer of the season against LumberKings pitching. Chris Chinea would be the next hitter, and he would leave the yard to left, making it a one run ballgame. That would end the night for Gohara, who struck out eight over six innings of work.

Ronald Dominguez would then come in and allow just a two out single to Carlos Torres, holding the Chiefs off the board the rest of the frame. Dominguez would come back out for the eight, and after getting Magneuris Sierra to ground out to start the inning, Jose Martinez took a 1-1 pitch inside that was initially ruled a ball, but after an argument from Peoria manager Joe Kruzel, the call was switched to a hit by pitch, putting the tying run aboard. Dominguez then punched out Eli Alvarez, and his night was done, as Joey Strain would come into the game.

Strain entered to face Brian O'Keefe, and walked him on a payoff pitch., putting the go ahead run on and advancing the tying run to second, That brought up Chris Chinea, who worked a good battle with Strain, but the Clinton righty would have the last laugh, fanning Chinea to end the inning.

It remained a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the ninth, where Matt Walker came on to close the game out. Walker got the first two he faced, but the Chiefs would pinch hit Jose Godoy to try and keep the game alive. Godoy crushed a ball to deep right center, one hopping into the wall and going for a double. Matt Davis would pinch run for Godoy, giving the Chiefs a fast runner and in reality a better chance to tie the game. Walker then got ahead of ninth place hitter Craig Aikin at 1-2, but walked him. That put the winning run on, and leadoff man Magneuris Sierra at the plate. Sierra in an 0-2 count smacked a line drive into left field for a hit. Luis Liberato got to the ball quickly, and Davis was sent home by Chiefs manager Joe Kruzel. Liberato's throw got home on one hop, and catcher Arturo Nieto held on and tagged out Davis to end the game, sending the LumberKings onto the Western Division Championship Series.

The LumberKings will begin the Western Division Championship Series on Saturday at Perfect Game Field against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at 4:05 PM. Clinton will host the second game of the series on Sunday at 6:30 PM. You can purchase tickets for Sunday now by clicking the link at the bottom of this article.

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