Three Homers Lead Chiefs to 6-2 Win

Peoria, IL - The Peoria Chiefs clubbed three homers in the first two innings and knocked off the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 6-2 Friday night in the series opener. The win moves the Chiefs back to .500 at 6-6 with four straight home wins.
    The Chiefs wasted little time in getting the offense going against Dylan File and the Rattlers. With one out, Irving Lopez reached on an error as File dropped the ball while covering first on a grounder. Yariel Gonzalez took advantage with a two-run homer to center field to put the Chiefs on top 2-0.

     The bats stayed hot in the second. Dylan Carlson led off with an opposite field home run, his second of the season. Nick Plummer was hit by a pitch with one out and stole second base. Edwin Figuera launched his first home run of the season over the left-field berm for a 5-0 Chiefs lead. Jonathan Machado beat out an infield single and stole second before scoring on a single by Gonzalez for a 6-0 Chiefs lead.
     Johan Oviedo only faced one real threat on the night as he struck out at least two batters in three of his six innings. Two of those strikeouts ended the third inning as Wisconsin left the bases loaded following two walks and a single.
     Wisconsin got on the board in the eighth against reliever Kodi Whitely. Tristen Lutz singled and moved to second on a throwing error by Elehuris Montero at third base. Gabriel Garcia doubled home Lutz and moved to third on a single by Joantgel Segovia. With two on and one out, Wisconsin cut the Chiefs lead to 6-2 on a single by Pat McInerney. Cory Malcom came out of the Chiefs bullpen and after a walk loaded the bases, he escaped the jam with a strikeout and groundout.
       Oviedo (1-1) picked up the win as he struck out eight and walked five while allowing three hits over six shutout innings. Whitley allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four over 1 1/3 innings. Malcom allowed one hit and walked two over one inning while striking out two. Bryan Dobzanski earned his first career save by striking out one over 2/3 of a perfect inning.
Notes… Gonzalez has both of his homers this season off File…The Chiefs had three homers in a game for the first time all season…Last year's season high was four…Peoria has five of their seven homers against File…The Chiefs have won four in a row at home…Oviedo's last start without allowing a run was June 26, 2017 for Johnson City…The eight strikeouts were one off his career high…Chiefs pitchers struck out a season-high 15 batters…Chiefs starting pitchers have three straight quality starts but this was the only win in that span…Overall starters are 2-3 this season with the other win coming in the season opener April 5 by Jake Walsh…Wisconsin has lost nine game in a row at Dozer Park dating back to July 31, 2017…The Chiefs have never lost nine in a row at Dozer Park/O'Brien Field since it opened in 2002…The series continues with Signature Saturday and select Chiefs players signing autographs when gates open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday…Game time is 6:30 p.m. as Chiefs RHP Evan Guillory (0-1, 3.48) takes on Rattlers RH Christian Taugner (0-1, 4.15)…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…The game is also available on video to subscribers on MiLB.TV