Loons Blank Chiefs Thursday

Midland, MI - The Peoria Chiefs were limited to just three hits Thursday in a 2-0 loss from Dow Diamond. With the defeat, Peoria fell to 46-59 on the season and 18-21 in the season’s second half.

Great Lakes right-hander Nick Nastrini took the bump for the Loons. Nastrini, who was originally slated to work out of the bullpen this week, started for the home team and worked a quick 1-2-3 first inning.

In the bottom of the frame, Great Lakes put the first two men on base against Chiefs starter Zane Mills. The Peoria sinkerballer then rolled a 6-4-3 double play to get back into the inning. With two outs and a runner at third. Eddys Leonard grounded one into center to give the Loons a 1-0 cushion.

From there, Mills settled in nicely. The right-hander allowed just one base runner over the next two innings and racked up a second double play in the fourth. In the fifth, the Loons placed two men aboard with one out before Mills recorded back-to-back strikeouts to work out of the fifth. Mills racked up a 1-2-3 sixth inning to put a bow on his night. The Peoria right-hander whiffed five batters on the night and earned Peoria’s 24th quality start of the year.

As good as Mills was, Nastrini was just a little bit better. The Loons starter punched out nine over six innings and worked out of a pair of jams in his own right. In the Peoria fourth, Jacob Buchberger worked a lead-off walk and promptly swiped second and third. With nobody out and Buchberger 90 feet away, Nastrini picked up a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to keep the Chiefs off the board. An inning later, back-to-back two out hits brought Todd Lott to the plate. Lott, Peoria’s hottest hitter as of late, was robbed of extra base hits on a running grab by Loons right fielder Duncan Keith.

Great Lakes tacked on an insurance run in the home half of the seventh against Leonardo Taveras. A sac fly from Jorbit Vivas made it a 2-0 ballgame.

The Loons bullpen teamed up to record the final nine outs to secure their second consecutive win in the series. Game four of the set is scheduled for Friday at 7:05 EST/6:05 CST.