Early Outburst Guides Chiefs to Series-Opening Win

PEORIA, IL– The Peoria Chiefs did all of their scoring over the first four innings Tuesday in a 6-2 triumph over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Dozer Park.

Wisconsin drew first blood in the top of the second inning on a Leonardo Bernal throwing error to stake an early 1-0 lead.

The Wisconsin advantage was brief, however. After William Sullivan walked to lead off the Peoria second, Anyelo Encarnacion doubled to the wall in left center to plate Sullivan and tie the score, 1-1. Two batters later, Joshua Baez gave the Chiefs a 2-1 lead with a sac fly to center.

An inning later, Dakota Harris got in on the party. The Peoria third baseman hit a line drive homer out to left center to bolster the Chiefs lead to 3-1. For Harris, it was his first High-A home run.

Chiefs starter Inohan Paniagua tiptoed out of early trouble and finished his outing on a high note. Paniagua retired his final seven batters Tuesday and departed after four hitless innings.

Peoria broke the game open in the home half of the fourth. The Chiefs loaded the bases with no one out to force Wisconsin starter Patricio Aquino from the game. Then, Osvaldo Tovalin singled in a tally to make it 4-1. The next batter, Bernal, turned in the inning’s fifth consecutive single to score Won-Bin Cho and Zach Levenson and push the lead to 6-1. All six Peoria runs were charged to the starter Aquino who took the loss.

The Peoria bullpen entered play Tuesday with the lowest bullpen ERA in all of Minor League Baseball. Zane Mills was the first reliever into the game and was hardly touched over three scoreless frames. He earned his second win of the season. Tyler Bradt recorded the final six outs for the home team, scattering just one run to create the final margin.

The Chiefs will go for their third consecutive win Wednesday morning when they host Wisconsin on Education Day. Brycen Mautz is the scheduled hurler for Peoria. First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 a.m.