Chiefs Fall to Clinton Saturday

The Peoria Chiefs fell into an early hole and lost to the Clinton LumberKings 5-2 in the opener of a four-game series on Saturday night. The Chiefs fell to 28-18 in the second half and 67-49 on the season as the series continues 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

  The LumberKings jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first on Chiefs starter Alvaro Seijas. Billy Cooke was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Connor Hoover drove in Cooke on a single to right for a 1-0 lead. McGovern walked to put two runners on as Eugene Helder plated Hoover on a two-out double to right. Dimas Ojeda hit a comebacker to Seijas who threw the ball away at third on a fielder's choice plus an error to score McGovern for a 3-0 advantage.
    The long ball widened the margin for Clinton in the top of the fourth. McGovern led off the inning with a solo homer over the right field wall. Ojeda doubled to the gap in right center with one out and Johnny Adams reached on a fielding error. With two down, Adams stole second and Ojeda stole home as part of a delayed double steal for an unearned run that pushed the LumberKings lead to 5-0.
    Peoria answered in the bottom of the third against Clinton starter Clay Chandler. JR Davis punched a single to right center and Brandon Benson lifted his second home run of the season over the wall in left to cut the deficit to get on the board behind 5-2.
    Seijas (4-7) took the loss throwing five innings surrendering three earned runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts while hitting one batter. Thomas St. Clair pitched two scoreless innings allowing one hit with no walks and three strikeouts while hitting one batter. Patrick Dayton pitched two scoreless and hitless innings with no walks and two strikeouts.
Notes… Gorman made his Dozer Park debut and recorded his first hit in Peoria this season on a single to left in bottom of the fifth…He has hit safely in two straight...Kirtley had his nine-game hit streak snap…Benson has a seven-game hit streak...Davis has three multi-hit games in his last four starts…The Chiefs are 13-7 in the first game of a series at home...Peoria has been outscored 87-49 in the first inning this season...Peoria is 7-5 against the LumberKings this season…The series continues on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Clinton on Jurassic Park Day featuring a Velociraptor and other dinosaurs....PNC Family Sunday features $5 tickets for kids 12 and under…All fans can play catch on the field pre-game in the outfield, starting when gates open…Player autographs are post-game on the concourse and available to all fans…The first 1,000 fans through the gates receive a Luken Baker player poster…Seniors 55 and over can get $5 tickets on Senior Sunday…Sunday is also Bark in the Park as fans can bring their dogs to Dozer Park…The Chiefs probable starter is TBA against Clinton LH Ray Kerr (4-10, 4.40)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 1:45 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App…The game is also available to subscribers on MiLB.TV.