Chiefs In First After 6-5 Win

Beloit, WI - The first place Peoria Chiefs moved to a season-high five games over .500 as they held on for a 6-5 win over the Beloit Snappers Wednesday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 24-19 on the season with one game left in the series.

   The Chiefs got the offense going in the second inning against Beloit starter Wyatt marks. Zach Kirtley led off with a double to right and Dennis Ortega launched a two-run homer to left to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead.
    That lead held until the third inning when Beloit loaded the bases with one out against Zach Prendergast. Austin Beck grounded into a fielders' choice to shortstop as Mickey McDonald scored to cut the Chiefs lead to 2-1.
    The Chiefs first error of the series started the fourth inning as Logan Farrar reached on a bobble by Irving Lopez. Farrar moved to second on a groundout and scored on a single by Trace Loehr to tie the game 2-2.
    The Chiefs regained the lead with the help of a Beloit miscue in the fifth. Jose Martinez reached on a one-out single and scored just ahead of the throw home from right field on Scott Hurst's double which was bobbled in right by Farrar. The Chiefs left two on base after Lopez walked and Marks retired the next two batters but the Chiefs led 3-2.
    The Chiefs extended the lead and knocked marks from the game in the sixth. Ortega led off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Bryce Denton. Both runners moved up on a passed ball and scored a single by Matt Fiedler for a 5-2 Chiefs lead. Fiedler stole second and moved to third on a throwing error before scoring on a Martinez sacrifice fly for a 6-2 lead.
    Beloit got back into the game in the seventh against reliever CJ Saylor. Jesus Lopez led off with a single and moved to second on a one-out single by Nick Allen. Lazaro Armenteros crushed a three-run homer, his third of the season, past the scoreboard in left-center to cut the Chiefs lead to 6-5.
   Prendergast delivered a quality start as he allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits over six innings. The right struck out four and walked two. Saylor allowed three runs on four hits over one inning of work as he allowed his first home run of the season. Bryan Dobzanksi allowed four hits over two shutout innings as he struck out one and earned his third save.
Notes… The Chiefs are 221-219 all-time against Beloit in the regular season…Six of the seven games this season have been decided by two runs or less…The Chiefs had a season-high 15 hits with multiple hit games from six players…Kirtley tied a career-high with three hits…Ortega has thrown out a league best 58% of would-be base stealers…The Chiefs had three doubles, two by Hurst, and a homer in their first five hits…Martinez has three sacrifice flies for all three of his RBI in six games…Prendergast has gone at least five innings in all five starts…He is tied for third in the MWL with five wins…Dobzanski is tied for the team lead with 14 appearances out of the bullpen…The series concludes Thursday at 6:30 p.m. as the Chiefs start RH Jake Walsh (2-1, 3.12) against Beloit RH Xavier Altamirano (1-2, 3.05)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:15 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App.