LANSING, Mich. - Zach Kirtley hit a two-run homer, Yariel Gonzalez added a late three-run shot, and the Peoria Chiefs (16-10, 55-41) completed a three-game sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts (13-15, 56-42), 7-3, before a crowd of 5,477 on Friday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.The Nuts have lost a season
LANSING, Mich. - Zach Kirtley hit a two-run homer, Yariel Gonzalez added a late three-run shot, and the Peoria Chiefs (16-10, 55-41) completed a three-game sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts (13-15, 56-42), 7-3, before a crowd of 5,477 on Friday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The Nuts have lost a season high seven straight games.
20-year-old Peoria starter Johan Oviedo (Win, 6-7) gave up two runs in the first inning on a Ryan Noda RBI single and a wild pitch, but gave up only one run over the rest of his six-inning stint - a Brandon Grudzielanek sixth-inning RBI single - while walking two and striking out four.
After a Jose Martinez RBI single put the Chiefs on the board in the second inning, Kirtley slugged a home run to left-center with Rayder Ascanio aboard in the third inning to give the Chiefs a 3-2 lead.
Martinez increased the lead to 4-2 with an RBI double in the fourth inning against Lugnuts starter Graham Spraker (Loss, 0-2), who gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out two batters in six innings overall.
Grudzielanek's RBI single brought the Lugnuts within 4-3, and Andrew Deramo blanked the Chiefs in the seventh and eighth innings.
But in the ninth, Gonzalez put icing on the cake for the visitors with a three-run drive to right field off Dany Jimenez . It was the All-Star first baseman's sixth home run of the season.
In defeat, Noda followed up a 3-for-3/walk performance on Thursday by going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Chavez Young drew a pair of walks.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels arrive in town Saturday, opening a three-game series on Stranger Things Night with postgame LAFCU Fireworks. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. between Lugnuts right-hander Kyle Weatherly (3.11 ERA) and Kernels right-hander Blayne Enlow (3.49). To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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