Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Geiger Ties RBI Record, Homers Chiefs to Win

August 1, 2012
Davenport, IA - Designated Hitter Dustin Geiger put his name in the record books with eight RBI Wednesday afternoon to lead the Peoria Chiefs to a wild 11-10 road win over the Quad Cities River Bandits. Geiger's second homer put the Chiefs on top in the top of the ninth as the team improved to 15-22 in the second half and 51-56 on the season.

The Chiefs wasted no time in getting the game going offensively against Hector Hernandez. With one down in the top of the first Pin-Chieh Chen singled and moved to third on a single by Javier Baez. Geiger stepped to the plate and crushed his 12th homer of the season, a three-run shot into the left-center field berm, for a 3-0 Chiefs lead.

Quad Cities responded in their half of the first against Zach Cates. Nick Longmire singled and stole second to start the inning. With one down, Stephen Piscotty singled to center as Longmire scored to cut the Chiefs lead in half.

The first lead change happened in the bottom of the third as the River Bandits knocked Cates from the game. Longmire walked to start the inning and scored on a double by Matt Williams. With the Chiefs up 3-2, Piscotty reached on an infield single and David Medina singled home Williams to tie the game. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and Quad Cities took a 4-3 lead on a fielders' choice off the bat of Juan Castillo. Luis Liria relieved Cates and escaped the inning as Luis Mateo grounded out.

Quad Cities extended their lead in the fourth against Liria. Nick Martini doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Longmire singled to left and Martini scored for a 5-3 River Bandits lead. Longmire was caught stealing and later Piscotty was picked off first base to keep Quad Cities from adding to their lead.

The Chiefs loaded the bases without a hit in the fifth inning and cashed in against Hernandez to regain the lead. Oliver Zapata reached on a throwing error by Piscotty and was forced out at second with Sergio Burruel reaching first. Zeke DeVoss walked and Chen reached on an error by Medina at first base. After Hernandez struck out Baez, Geiger laced a three-run double into the left-center field gap to put the Chiefs back on top 6-5. The double was Geiger's first hit of the season with the bases loaded and gave him a career-high six RBI through five innings.

Quad Cities regained the lead quickly in the fifth against Liria. With one down Castillo singled to left and scored on a triple to center by Mateo to tie the game 6-6. Martini singled home Castillo as Quad Cities took a 7-6 lead before Liria struck out Anthony Melchionda to end the fame.

The see-saw contest continued in the sixth with Robert Stock pitching for Quad Cities. Wes Darvill led off with a single and moved to second on a pitch in the dirt. Bijan Rademacher laid down a bunt and both runners were safe on a late throw by Castillo. Zapata's sacrifice fly to center scored Darvill and tied the game 7-7 before Rademacher moved to second on a wild pitch. Burruel put the Chiefs on top 8-7 with a single to center and DeVoss singled before Chen bounced into an inning-ending double play.

The Chiefs could not slow the River Bandits offense as Larry Suarez took over on the mound. Longmire greeted Suarez with a single and the Quad Cities leadoff man stole second. With one down Piscotty doubled home Longmire to tie the game before Suarez retired the next two batters for the first tie game of the day.

Kyle Barraclough kept the Chiefs off the board in the seventh and Quad Cities took the lead after the stretch. Castillo doubled to left and with one down scored easily on a double by Martini. With the Chiefs down 9-8, Bryce Shafer replaced Suarez and allowed a run-scoring double to Melchionda for a two-run River Bandits lead. Shafer stranded Melchionda at second by striking out Longmire and Williams to end the seventh.

Both teams were kept off the board in the eighth and Quad Cities called on newcomer Dixon Llorens for the ninth. A 2012 draftee, Llorens did not allow a run in 15 2/3 innings this season in the Appalachian Rookie League before being promoted to Quad Cities on Monday. He retired DeVoss on strikes to start the inning before Chen doubled to center. Baez doubled off the base of the wall in center to cut the Chiefs deficit to 10-9. Already with a career day at the plate, Geiger made it record-tying when he launched the first pitch from Llorens into the left-field berm for his second homer and an 11-10 Chiefs lead. The two-run shot game Geiger eight RBI in the game, tying the Chiefs single-game record set in 1995 and matched in 1998.

Austin Reed came out of the Chiefs bullpen and retired three straight River Bandits in the ninth inning for his first career save. The win closed out a three hour, 27 minute contest, the longest nine inning game of the season for the Chiefs.

Cates allowed four runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Liria allowed three runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings with one walk and one strikeout. Suarez suffered his third blown save of the season and allowed three runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings. Shafer (1-2) picked up the win with one hit allowed and four strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings. Reed recorded the save with one perfect inning.

Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Dustin Geiger (DH) - Geiger homered in the first and ninth innings while collecting a three-run double in the fifth. He finished the game 3-for-5 with two homers, a double and a career-high eight RBI. Geiger matched the Chiefs single-game RBI record and has the most total bases (10) in any game this season for the Chiefs.

Notes: The RBI record was set by Joe Jumonville at Kane County on April 14, 1995 in a 13-6 win and matched by Andy Bevins May 15, 1998 in a 16-14 win against South Bend...Geiger also had two homers against Burlington on the 4th of July and is the first Chiefs to have two multi-homer games in a season since Anthony Giansanti last May 29 and June 27...Baez had his 22nd multi-hit game and second in a row...Geiger leads the Chiefs with 12 homers, seven off of left-handers...The Chiefs are now 16-13 in day games and 29-12 when scoring five runs or more...The Chiefs have scored 10 or more runs six times this season and twice have beaten Quad Cities in a game where both teams scored 10 or more (12-11 on June 24)...The win snapped a four-game road losing streak for the Chiefs...The Chiefs are 15-19 in one-run games and 2-49 when trailing after eight innings...Quad Cities has six doubles, one triple and out-hit the Chiefs 16-11...Reed earned his first career save on the same day his brother Addison notched save #18 for the Chicago White Sox...Shafer, who has four wins in Boise the last two seasons, earned his first Chiefs win in 32 outings...Liria has allowed a run in eight of his last nine outings and a total of 17 runs in that span...Shafer had retired 17 straight batters dating back to July 19 before the double in the seventh...Suarez had not allowed a run in six straight outings before Wednesday...Chen has 10 hits in his last four games and is batting over .270 for the first time since May 5...The series continues Thursday at 7:00 p.m. as the Chiefs send RH Starling Peralta (3-6, 3.20) to the mound against RH Brad Watson (1-1, 9.82)...The broadcast can be heard, starting with a pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android.