Hoilman Ties Chiefs Record with 21-Game Hit Streak
For the third time in the series the River Bandits scored in the first inning. Jose Rosario started the inning by striking out Matt Williams before Nick Martini singled to center. With two outs, Roberto De La Cruz singled to left and Anthony Garcia put Quad Cities up 1-0 with a single to left.
After leaving a runner in scoring position in each of the first three innings, the Chiefs broke through in a big way against Jonathan Cornelius in the fourth. Rafael Lopez drew a leadoff walk and scored on a double from Ryan Cuneo to tie the game. Oliver Zapata walked and Brad Zapenas loaded the bases when he beat out a bunt single. Marco Hernandez put the Chiefs on top 2-1 with a roller down the first base line that was ruled an error. Pin-Chieh Chen singled home a run for a 3-1 lead before Danny Miranda relieved Cornelius. Taiwan Easterling singled home Zapenas and Hernandez scored on a one-out fielder's choice off the bat of Hoilman for a 5-1 lead before Miranda got out of the inning.
The Chiefs extended the lead against Miranda after another error in the fifth. Zapata reached on an error at first base and moved to second on a wild pitch. Zapenas walked and Hernandez singled to load the bases. With two down, Easterling singled into left as Zapata and Zapenas scored for a 7-1 Chiefs lead.
De La Cruz got one run back for the River Bandits in the fifth inning with a solo home run. Luis Liria replaced Rosario in the sixth and loaded the bases with a single and two walks issued. However, Chen kept the Bandits from getting any closer with a diving catch near the left-field line that ended the inning.
The only drama that remained surrounded Hoilman's hit streak. He struck out in the first, bounced out in the third, reached on a RBI fielder's choice in the fourth and flew out to right field in the sixth. He led off the eighth against new reliever Robert Stock and ripped the first pitch into right field for a single, a 21-game hit streak and a piece of Chiefs history.
Rosario allowed two runs on 10 hits over five innings of work. He did not issue a walk and struck out five. Liria allowed one hit over two shutout innings while walking two and striking out two. Charles Thomas made his 2012 debut and did not allow a hit over two shutout innings with one walk issued and three strikeouts.
Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Taiwan Easterling (CF) - Easterling singled home a run in the fourth inning and then put the Chiefs up 7-2 with a two-run single in the fifth. He finished the game 2-for-6 with a career-high three RBI. He was 6-for-15 in the series with four runs scored and three RBI.
Notes: Hoilman now has a 21-game hit streak tied for the longest in the Chiefs' 30 year history...The record was set by Kerry Robinson in 1996 and matched by Jack Wilson in 1999...The current streak is the longest in all of professional baseball in 2012...Tonight was the third time he extended the streak in his final at-bat...Hoilman tied a franchise record for the second day in a row after hitting his second grand slam of the season to match a record on Monday...Hoilman has 14 RBI with the bases loaded after driving in one with the bases full in the fourth inning...Hoilman is tied for second in the MWL with 25 RBI, seven behind Beloit's Miguel Sano who hit his 10th homer of the year earlier Tuesday...Quad Cities scored first in all four games and scored 11 runs in the first inning during the series... The Chiefs finished their longest roadtrip of the season 5-8...Quad Cities leads the Rivertown Showdown 4-3 so far this season...For the second straight start Rosario tied a career-high with 10 hits allowed...He snapped a three-game losing streak with his first win since April 7 in Beloit...The Chiefs won back to back games for the first time since a three-game win streak April 15-17...The Chiefs tied a series for the first time this season and are now 3-6-1 in their 10 series...Peoria is 6-4 in the final game of a series, 4-2 on the road...The Chiefs return home for their first game at Peoria Chiefs stadium since the Hoilman walk-off grand slam on April 24...The three-game series with the Beloit Snappers begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with $1 hot dogs, $1 ice cream sandwiches and $1 fountain sodas...The Chiefs will start LH Kyler Burke (0-1, 2.30) against Snappers LH Steven Gruver (1-3, 4.39)...The broadcast can be heard, starting with the pre-game show at 6:15 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android.