Chiefs Bats Finally Silenced in 1-0 Loss to Rattlers
The Rattlers etched the first and only run of the ballgame in the top half of the first. Josh Prince singled to lead off the game and stole second with Peter Fatse at the plate. Fatse ripped a single to center and Prince scored easily to give Wisconsin a 1-0 lead. The Rattlers loaded the bases with one out but Shafer escaped the threat.
The Chiefs looked poised to continue their recent prowess at the plate in their half of the first inning. Brett Jackson led off with a double and Ryan Flaherty walked to put two on with no outs. However, Rebel Ridling hit into a double play and Kyler Burke grounded out to end the threat.
The threat in the first was one of the only threats the Chiefs posed Monday. They had multiple men on base just one other time in the game, which came in the bottom of the fourth. A potential rally looked to get started in the ninth off reliever Michael Fiers as Jackson singled to lead off the frame but Flaherty and Ridling both struck out and Burke grounded out sharply to first to end the ballgame.
Shafer (8-8) got through six innings for the third time this season. The right-hander allowed just one run on five hits while walking one and striking out three. He continues to be brilliant at home, allowing more than one earned run just twice this season in eight O'Brien Field starts. Kevin Kreier came on to pitch the next two frames and allowed just one hit, and Ryan Buchter pitched a flawless ninth while striking out a batter.
Casey's General Store Player of the Game - Kyler Burke (RF) - Burke was 2-for-4 with a walk and finished up the four-game series with Wisconsin going 12-for-17. He was on base 15 times in total over the four-game set.
Notes...With the loss Monday night, Peoria lost the season series to the Rattlers going 7-8...The Chiefs had won the previous seven contests between the two before Monday... Monday night was the Chiefs first 1-0 loss since May 1 at Burlington...They were last shutout July 20 at Clinton...Ridling has hit into a team-high 13 double plays...The single-season high for the Chiefs is 19 by Matt Franco in 1990...Ridling has hit into 17 double plays in his Chiefs career, which ties him for 10th on the Chiefs all-time list...Monday was the first time the Chiefs trailed against the Rattlers after an inning this series...It's the first time Wisconsin has led the Chiefs at the end of an inning in 8 games, spanning 57 innings, since the 7th inning on June 28 in Wisconsin... Monday night was the Chiefs first home loss on a Monday this season...Peoria is now 5-1 in that category...The Chiefs welcome the Burlington Bees, the Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, to O'Brien Field for a four-game series beginning on Tuesday at 7 pm...O'Brien Field will be re-named Tuesday for the second time this season, this time named AARP Field....Tickets for all fans ages 50 and older are just $6...It is also KRAFT Singles night when fans can bring in a KRAFT Singles package wrapper/proof of purchase for a Buy One Ticket Get One Free from KRAFT Singles...The offer is good PER package wrapper but no limit on the amount of KRAFT Singles package wrappers each fan can bring...Visit kraftsingles.com for details...It is also Soccer Night at AARP Field as part of Top Notch Tuesday...The Chiefs will send RH Justin Bristow (4-5, 4.31) to the mound opposed by LH Ivor Hodgson (1-1, 7.04) for Burlington...The game can be heard starting with the pre-game show at 6:45 pm on 96.5 ESPN Radio and www.peoriachiefs.com... Also, the Chiefs in conjunction with the Chicago Cubs have announced that Cubs left-handed starter Ted Lilly will be rehabbing with the Chiefs Wednesday night at O'Brien Field. Lilly, a 2009 National League All-Star, is scheduled to start for the Chiefs and pitch three-to-four innings.