Beloit, WI - The Peoria Chiefs were shutout for the second time in four games with a 1-0 loss to the Beloit Snappers Thursday night in the series finale. The loss drops the Chiefs to 24-20 but they stay tied for first place with Quad Cities heading into a pivotal
Beloit, WI - The Peoria Chiefs were shutout for the second time in four games with a 1-0 loss to the Beloit Snappers Thursday night in the series finale. The loss drops the Chiefs to 24-20 but they stay tied for first place with Quad Cities heading into a pivotal five-game series between the division leaders in Iowa this weekend.
Beloit got off to a hot start in the bottom of the first against fill-in starter Alex Fagalde. After a strikeout, Lazaro Armenteros hit his second home run in as many nights to put the hosts on top 1-0. Austin Beck followed with a single but Fagalde got another strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
The Chiefs got just two hits and two walks against Beloit starter Xavier Altamirano and didn't have two runners on at the same time in his six innings. The only runner past first base against the Beloit starter was in the third when Bryce Denton led off with a single and was left at third base.
Zach Kirtley greeted Beloit reliever Nick Highberger with a double to start the seventh and Julio Rodriguez drew a four-pitch walk. Rodriguez was out at second on a fielders' choice off the bat of Matt Fiedler with Kirtley taking third. Highberger struck out Denton for the second out and Fiedler stole second before Jose Martinez flew out to strand two runners.
Beloit failed to extend their lead against reliever Fabian Blanco in the bottom of the seventh. Trace Loehr led off with a single and Blanco walked two of the next three hitters to load the bases with one out. Blanco struck out Armenteros and Beck to bounce back and leave the bases loaded with the Chiefs down 1-0.
Fagalde allowed one run on a solo homer over a career-high six innings. He struck out six, allowed five hits and walked one. Blanco allowed one hit, one walk and struck out two in one shutout inning. Blanco allowed one hit, one walk and struck out two in one shutout inning. Levi MaVorhis allowed one hit and struck out one in his one shutout inning.
Notes… The Chiefs are 221-220 all-time against Beloit in the regular season…Seven of the eight games this season have been decided by two runs or less with Beloit winning five of those…The Chiefs have been outscored 37-22 in the first inning this season…Fagalde made his second pro start and first this season after scheduled starter Jake Walsh was promoted to Palm Beach Thursday morning…He struck out a career-high six batters and threw a career-high six innings for a quality start…Blanco leads the Chiefs with 15 relief appearances…The Chiefs now head to Quad Cities for a five-game, four-day series…The series starts Friday at 6:35 p.m. as the Chiefs start RH Evan Guillory (4-2, 2.90) against River Bandits RH Peter Solomon (1-1, 2.43)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:20 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App.
