Chiefs Beat Bandits 6-2 Saturday

Davenport, IA - The Peoria Chiefs scored all their runs in the fourth inning to open a three-game series with a 6-2 victory of the Quad Cities River Bandits. The first-placed Chiefs improved to 71-52 with the win in a first round playoff preview.

     Quad Cities jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Chiefs starter Jake Dahlberg. The hosts pulled off a double steal with two outs in the first inning to go on top 1-0. Chandler Taylor homered in the third to double the lead.
    Down two the Chiefs took advantage of the Bandits mistakes to get the offense going in the fourth. Dennis Ortega led off with a walk from Edgardo Sandoval and Quad Cities made two errors on the same play as Zach Kirtley grounded to third base. By the end of the play Ortega was on third and Kirtley at second with nobody out. Nick Plummer tied the game with a double to right and Brandon Riley singled to left to keep the line moving. Rayder Ascanio's sacrifice fly put the Chiefs on top 3-2 and Riley scored on a fielder's choice as he slid home ahead of the tag. With Wood Myers at first base and the Bandits shifting, Nolan Gorman launched a two-run homer toward the Mississippi River for a 6-2 Chiefs lead. Luken Baker singled and with two outs Ortega singled off reliever JP France. The inning ended when Kirtley, the 11^th batter, flew out to deep center.
    Quad Cities threatened in the seventh when Patrick Dayton took over with two runners on base. He struck out the first two and walked Taylor to load the bases. Dayton struck out Jonathan Lacroix to end the frame with the bases loaded.
     Dahlberg (3-1) earned the win as he allowed two runs on six hits over five innings while walking two and striking out five. Robbie Gordon allowed two hits, walked one and struck out one over a shutout inning. Dayton earned a hold as he allowed one hit and walked one over 1 2/3 shutout innings with three strikeouts. Kodi Whitley allowed one hit and struck out two over 1 1/3 shutout innings.
Notes… Gorman has two homers, both on the road…Baker had a single, double and two walks as he reached base four times…Plummer has 15 doubles on the season and 50 runs scored...The Chiefs have allowed a run in the first inning in four straight road games…Baker has nine multi-hit games in 23 starts for the Chiefs…The Chiefs are 7-8 against Quad Cities on the season, 3-1 in the second half…Gordon has a 0.00 ERA in 11 appearances and 14 2/3 innings…Dayton has a 1.03 ERA and five holds in 16 games…Whitley has inherited 22 runners this season and stranded them all…He has retired the first batter in 30 of 34 relief appearances…Fireworks from the Symphony Riverfront Pops Concert in the park behind the stadium startled both teams as Whitley was pitching to Lacroix in the bottom of the ninth…The fireworks, shot from right behind the batters eye, continued after the Chiefs shook hands on the field following the win…The Chiefs are 12-8 in the first game of a road series…Peoria is 40-15 when scoring at least five runs and 64-14 when allowing four runs or less…The series continues at 5:15 p.m. Sunday as the Chiefs start RH Johan Oviedo (9-8, 4.66) against Quad Cities RH Chad Donato (3-0, 2.51)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 5:00 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 to subscribers on MiLB.TV.