Home Runs Do In Chiefs In 5-3 Loss

PEORIA, IL- Two Beloit Snappers home runs in a four-run sixth inning turned a Peoria Chiefs lead into a 4-3 deficit in an eventual 5-3 loss Wednesday night. The loss gives the Chiefs an 18-13 record.

   The Chiefs got the scoring started in the first inning. CJ McElroy Jr. singled and stole second. Cesar Valera singled to put runners at the corners and Carson Kelly hit a ground ball to third to plate McElroy. Ronald Castillo singled before Steve Bean hit a two-out single back up the middle to give the Chiefs the 2-0 lead.

   The Chiefs made it 3-0 in the fourth on back-to-back singles to begin the inning by Jake Stone and Mason Katz. With one out, McElroy reached on an error which scored Stone.

   Jimmy Reed threw five shutout innings before Beloit took the lead with a four-run sixth. The frame opened with walks to BJ Boyd and Tyler Marincov before BA Vollmuth tied the game with a home run to left. Herschel Powell had a bunt single and Reed was replaced by Kevin Herget. Powell was thrown out trying to steal second before Luis Baez hit a solo homer just over the wall in left-center. The Snappers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Boyd and Marincov hit consecutive one-out triples giving Beloit five unanswered runs in the game and end the scoring.

   Reed started and went the first five-plus innings, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Herget (1-1) followed with two innings of relief, giving up two runs on four hits and one walk. Zach Loraine pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing two hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Chase Brookshire got the final two outs with a walk.

Notes: The Chiefs had 10 hits, all singles, from eight different players…CJ McElroy Jr. and Cesar Valera had the multi-hit games…Steve Bean has a six-game hitting streak…The Chiefs stole three bases without being caught…McElroy Jr. stole his seventh, Kenny Peoples-Walls swiped his fifth, and Mason Katz got his first…It was Katz' first steal since July 5, 2013 with State College…Katz stole two bags in that game, his only two of the season…Peoples-Walls picked up his first outfield assist when he threw out a runner at the plate to end the first inning…The loss for Kevin Herget is his first as a professional after going 7-0 with State College last year and added a win this year…The Chiefs begin a seven-game roadtrip with the first of three games against the Clinton Lumberkings Thursday at 6:30 p.m….RHP Silfredo Garcia (2-2, 4.24) takes the hill for Peoria while RHP Lars Huijer (1-1, 3.70) starts for Clinton…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:10 p.m., on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android. The broadcast is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App.