Chiefs Plate Four in the Ninth to Best Quad Cities

Davenport, IA - With the Chiefs down to their last out Friday, a two-run triple from Jacob Buchberger tied the game and set up LJ Jones for a go-ahead single to cap off a four-run ninth and a 7-6 Peoria win over Quad Cities. With the victory, the Chiefs knotted up this week’s series and the season series in the process.

For the second night in a row, Quad Cities did damage in the opening inning. After Tyler Tolbert tripled to begin the game, Peyton Wilson promptly singled to give the River Bandits a 1-0 lead. Three batters later, River Town recorded a single of his own to plate Wilson and double the Quad Cities lead.

After the teams traded zeroes in the second, the Chiefs scratched a run in the third. A double from Francisco Hernandez set up Todd Lott for a two-out scoring chance. Lott reached via an infield single and a wild throw from Tolbert allowed Hernandez to score from second to make it a 2-1 game.

The River Bandits wasted little time getting that run right back. First baseman Dillan Shrum mashed a homer to left, his third-straight game with a blast, to put the home team back in front by a pair, 3-1. Chiefs starter Zane Mills completed the inning before being lifted. He wrapped up his 2022 season with a 3.88 earned run average over 26 starts.

Right-hander Edgar Manzo entered for Peoria in the bottom of the fourth and worked around a pair of walks to keep the Chiefs deficit at two entering the Peoria half of the fifth. After Aaron McKeithan was retired, the next three Peoria batters reached to load the bases. Although the Chiefs were denied the big hit, a wild pitch plated Osvaldo Tovalin to make it a 3-2 game.

Looking for his third scoreless inning of the night, Manzo racked up two quick outs in the sixth before the River Bandits dialed up a two-out rally. A Cam Williams double was quickly followed by a Tolbert single to give the Bandits a 4-2 cushion. Following Tolbert’s 60th stolen base of the year and a walk to Wilson, Manzo was lifted for Leonardo Taveras. The right-hander issued consecutive free passes to give Quad Cities a 5-2 lead before getting the final out of the frame.

After Quad Cities starter Rylan Kaufman was lifted after six innings of work, Peoria scratched a run in the seventh to get back within 5-3 but encountered more trouble in the eighth. After Taveras recorded the first two outs of the eighth, the River Bandits again cashed in a two-out opportunity. Following a Negret double, Town laced a liner into center to give Quad Cities a 6-3 advantage going to the bottom of the ninth.

Trailing three, the first two batters reached base to kick off the ninth on a Tyler Reichenborn walk and a Hernandez single. Hernandez finished the night 4-for-4 with a double, his first career four-hit effort. Following a Tommy Jew strikeout, the Chiefs took advantage of a Quad Cities error. After Lott grounded towards short, Tolbert committed his second error of the night, a throwing error, to allow Lott to reach and Reichenborn to score from second. After a Ramon Mendoza strikeout, the stage was set for Buchberger. On a 1-0 pitch, Buchberger’s triple tied the score, 6-6. For Buchberger, it was his only hit of the night. Three pitches later, Jones tacked on his team-leading 62 RBI to give the Chiefs their first lead of the night, 7-6.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jack Ralston was never challenged. After recording the last out of the eighth inning, Ralston got a flyout and a pair of strikeouts to end the game and complete the Peoria comeback.

The Chiefs will play their final night game of the regular season on Saturday. Austin Love will take the ball for the Chiefs. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m from Modern Woodmen Park.