Peña’s two-homer game propels Chiefs to victory

Behind a four-run first inning and two-home run game from Yordalin Peña, the Chiefs powered their way past Beloit, 8-4, on Wednesday night at Dozer Park.

With the win, Peoria narrows the gap to 3.5 games behind the first place Sky Carp in the second half standings with 22 games remaining in the season.

The Chiefs put together a four-run, two-out rally in the bottom of the first inning. After a groundout and a popout, Jalin Flores singled and Caden Ferraro walked before Peña drove them both in with a two-run double. Ian Petrutz followed with an RBI single to score Peña, then stole second and scored on Cade McGee’s RBI double to give Peoria an early 4-0 lead.

Beloit scored once in the second when Emilio Barreras brought in a run with an RBI groundout after Jack Martinez walked two and allowed a single to load the bases. He struck out the next two to keep the score at 4-1.

Martinez walked two in the third, but left them stranded.

In the fourth, Martinez lost command and walked three more to load the bases, before he was replaced by Rubén Menes. Dillon Head hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4-2 before Menes induced a flyout to strand two.

Martinez walked seven batters (a season high by a Chief), struck out four and allowed two runs on one hit in 3.2 innings.

The Chiefs added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Peña crushed a leadoff solo homer to left field and Alex Birge hit an RBI single later in the inning to extend their lead to 6-2.

Beloit starter Brayan Mendoza allowed six runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out five over his four innings.

With two outs in the fifth, Peña launched his second homer in as many at-bats to left to lengthen Peoria’s advantage to 7-2.

Menes worked a scoreless sixth before Chiefs reliever Liam Best gave up a single and a two-run home run to Max Williams in the seventh, his second long ball in two games in Peoria, trimming the deficit to 7-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, McGee’s check swing single and Anyelo Encarnación’s double off the left field wall set up a sac fly from Birge to make it 8-4 Chiefs.

In the ninth, Christian Worley retired the first two batters before allowing a pair of singles. The second deflected off Worley, removing him from the game. Gerardo Salas entered and struck out the only batter he faced to earn his first save of the season.

Thursday’s game begins at 6:35 p.m.

Discounted beverages return with $2 draft beers, $2 sodas and $4 craft beers. It’s the final night to bring your dogs to the game while the Chiefs transform into the Peoria Orange Barrels and celebrate Illinois’ iconic construction season, followed by postgame fireworks.

Tickets are available at PeoriaChiefs.com or at the Dozer Park box office.

Fans can watch the game on MiLB.TV and the Bally Sports Live app or listen at PeoriaChiefs.com.