Loons Erupt Late, Drop Chiefs in First-Half Finale

MIDLAND, MI – The Peoria Chiefs fell 13–4 to the Great Lakes Loons on Thursday evening at Dow Diamond. An eight-run bottom of the seventh inning broke the game open for the Loons. With the loss, Peoria closed out the first half with a 26–39 record.

After Peoria got on the board in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run homer by Travis Honeyman to make it 3–2, Great Lakes responded with a massive bottom half, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs on six hits, including two home runs. The inning began with a single and two walks to load the bases. Mike Sirota followed with a sacrifice fly to left to extend the lead to 4–2. After another walk and a strikeout for the second out, Kevin Nevin lined a two-run single to center to make it 6–2. Peoria then pulled right-hander Zach Showalter and brought in southpaw Michael Watson. The first batter he faced, Jake Gelof, lifted a three-run homer to left to make it 9–2 and break the game open. Moments later, following a double, Frank Robinson launched a two-run homer to left, extending the lead to 11–2.

Peoria got two runs back in the eighth inning. A sacrifice fly from Honeyman brought home a run, his third RBI of the game, to make it 11–3. Later in the inning, a fielder’s choice plated Jon Jon Gazdar, cutting the deficit to 11–4. The Loons answered in the bottom half with a two-run double by Gelof, extending the lead to 13–4.

In the ninth inning, Peoria threatened with runners on the corners but couldn’t bring anyone home. The Chiefs matched a season high by leaving 15 runners on base in the loss.

Great Lakes opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run to right field by Sirota. They added on in the fourth inning, when Logan Wagner singled to left to score a runner from second and make it 2–0. Later in the frame, a line-drive double from Kyle Nevin plated Wagner to push the lead to 3–0.

The score remained 3–0 until Honeyman’s homer in the seventh, thanks in part to a strong effort from Loons starter Luke Fox, who tossed four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out six. Roque Gutierrez earned the win in relief, tossing 2 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on two hits with four strikeouts.

The series continues Friday evening with right-hander Jason Savacool slated to start for Peoria. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. EST / 6:05 p.m. CDT.