Five-Run Third Leads Beloit Past Peoria

Beloit, WI - The Chiefs jumped out to an early lead Saturday but a five-run third inning flipped the script as the Beloit Sky Carp pounded out 14 hits in a 12-4 win at ABC Supply Stadium.

After the teams traded zeroes in the first two innings, an action-filled third inning unfolded. In the Peoria third, Francisco Hernandez reached on an error and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. The next batter, Luis Rodriguez, singled to right to collect the first Chiefs hit and give Peoria a 1-0 lead. After a groundout later moved Rodriguez to third, the catcher motored home on a wild pitch to double the Chiefs lead, 2-0.

Beloit had a quick answer in the home half, however. After consecutive singles placed runners on the corners, Victor Mesa Jr. picked up an RBI groundout to make it a 2-1 game. The next batter, Cody Morissette, doubled to right to score Jose Salas and knot the game up at 2-2. Two hitters later, a sac fly from Bennett Hostetler gave Beloit their first lead of the night, 3-2. Zach Zubia then put a bow on a five-run frame with a long two-run homer over the left field fence off Peoria starter Wilfredo Pereira.

The Sky Carp continued their onslaught in the fourth as they plated two more. With runners on the corners, Salas attempted to swipe second base. As the Peoria catcher Rodriguez fired down to second, Osiris Johnson streaked home from third to complete a double steal and extend the lead to 6-2. A Morissette sac fly later in the frame made it 7-2.

Peoria staged a rally in the fifth against Sky Carp starter Gabe Bierman, who made his High-A debut Saturday. After a single and a pair of walks, Peoria loaded the bases with no one out for Tommy Jew, one of the team’s hottest hitters. Jew brought home a tally with an RBI groundout to make it 7-3. Noah Mendlinger followed suit and his RBI groundout cut the deficit to 7-4. All told, the Chiefs scored a pair but could not put up the crooked number. Bierman went on to pitch a scoreless sixth and ultimately earn the win.

The home team erased any doubt late, scoring the final five runs of the game. Beloit plated a pair in the seventh to make it 9-4. In the eighth, Ynmanol Marinez doubled in two to give Beloit a 11-4 advantage. Hostetler scored the final run of the ballgame on a passed ball to create the final margin, 12-4.

Pereira, who whiffed a career-high 13 batters in his last outing on Sunday, was tagged with the loss on Saturday after five innings of work.

The season series wraps up Sunday at 1:05 p.m. If the Chiefs win, the two foes will split the 18-game series in 2022. Zane Mills will take the ball for Peoria.