Gorman Homers but Chiefs Lose

Geneva, IL - The Peoria Chiefs played a sloppy game in cold weather and fell to the Kane County Cougars 12-2 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. The Chiefs committed a season-worst five errors and drop to 3-5 on the season with a doubleheader scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday.     

Peoria left two runners on base against Cougars starter Franklyn Soriano in the first inning before the Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the frame. Tra Holmes was hit by a pitch from Chiefs starter Jacob Schlesener to start the frame. Geraldo Perdomo grounded out to third base but Holmes scored all the way from first when Leandro Cedeno's throw back to third sailed into the stands. Eduardo Diaz put the hosts on top 2-0 with a home run off the video board and the next three Cougars reached on two walks and a single to load the bases. Schlesener stuck out Alex King but an error by Nolan Goman plated Andy Yerzy for a 3-0 Kane County lead. After throwing his 35^th pitch of the frame, Schlesener gave way to Franyel Casadilla mid at-bat and the new hurler struck out David Garza on the next pitch to end the frame.
      Down 5-0, the Chiefs got on the board in the sixth inning against reliever Ehtan Larrison. Brendaon Donovan greeted the right-hander with a double to right and Gorman launched his third home run of the season to get the Chiefs on the board. Gorman's 2-run shot bounced off the picnic tables in the right-field party area and back onto the field to cut the Cougars lead to 5-2.
    Kane County batted around again in the sixth against Freddy Pacheco as they tallied five times. A bases loaded double by Alex King plated three for a 10-2 Cougars lead. The hosts added on in the seventh as Wadye Ynfante dropped a fly ball and Zac Almond delivered a RBI double. They tallied the final run in the eighth against reliever Chris Hunt with a sacrifice fly from Holmes for the 12-2 win.
     Schlesener (0-2) took the loss as he allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits, two walks and a hit batter while striking out one in 2/3 of an inning. Casadilla allowed two runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings while walking two, hitting one and striking out four. Pacheco lasted just 1/3 of an inning as he allowed five runs on two hits, three walks, one hit batter and he struck out one. Hunt allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits over 2 2/3 innings as he struck out four and hit two batters.
     The teams will play a double header Saturday with two seven-inning games scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. The Chiefs will start RH Cole Aker (0-0, 1.93) and LH Diego Cordero (0-1, 6.75) against the Cougars duo of RH Justin Varnia (1-0, 1.80) and RH Jackson Goddard (1-0, 1.13). The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 12:45 p.m. on the Peoria Chiefs Tune-In Page, which is free and also has a free app for smartphones and tablets