Chiefs Score Baker's Dozen, Rout TinCaps 13-2

FORT WAYNE, IN – The Peoria Chiefs secure a series win in grand fashion Saturday, plating a season-high 13 runs in a 13-2 triumph over the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

Chris Rotondo homered and reached base six times, Dakota Harris reached five times and Darlin Moquete homered while driving in a game-high four runs.

Peoria’s first outburst came in the top of the second inning. The Chiefs scored five times, plating all of their runs with two outs in the inning. With runners on second and third, Dakota Harris singled into left to score Leonardo Bernal and Rotondo to make it 2-0. Then, Moquete ambushed a Dylan Lesko fastball for a two-run homer to double the Peoria lead to 4-0. After consecutive singles from Zach Levenson and Alex Iadisernia, Brody Moore capped off the inning with a line drive single to plate Levenson. All told, the Chiefs sent 10 men to the plate.

An inning later, the Chiefs added on again. Rotondo led off the third with a home run to left, his second blast of the series to give the Chiefs a 6-0 edge. Four batters later, it was Moquete again. His line drive base hit scored Michael Curialle to make it 7-0.

Peoria didn’t stop there. The Chiefs lead reached 10-0 in the top of the fifth inning, as the offense chipped in three runs in the frame without the benefit of a hit.

In the top of the eighth, the Chiefs were again bolstered by TinCaps miscues. A pair of walks and an error loaded the bases with just one out. Back-to-back singles from Curialle and Harris pushed the lead to 11-0 and 12-0 respectively. Moquete appropriately tacked on the last run with an RBI groundout to make it 13-0.

Peoria starter Hancel Rincon stranded a pair of runners in the first and then leaned on his offense the rest of the way. Rincon was not challenged the rest of the way, recording one out in the sixth before his pitch count forced his exit from the contest. Rincon earned his third win of the year on Saturday.

Fort Wayne scored their only two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on RBI hits from catcher/infielder Anthony Vilar, who pitched a scoreless ninth, and outfielder Tyler Robertson.

With the win, Peoria secured a series victory and can lock down a .500 road trip with a win Sunday. Brycen Mautz is the probable starter. First pitch is set for 1:05 P.M/EST, 12:05 P.M/EST.