Geneva, IL - The Peoria Chiefs evened the series against the Kane County Cougars Thursday night with a 4-1 win as Johan Oviedo won for the sixth straight start. The Chiefs are back to 20 games over .500 on the season at 67-47 with one game left on the road
Geneva, IL - The Peoria Chiefs evened the series against the Kane County Cougars Thursday night with a 4-1 win as Johan Oviedo won for the sixth straight start. The Chiefs are back to 20 games over .500 on the season at 67-47 with one game left on the road trip.
The Chiefs got on the board against Cougars starter Franklyn Soriano in the second inning. JR Davis singled and Bryce Denton was hit by a pitch. Davis moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Brandon Benson hit into a double play as the Chiefs took a 1-0 lead.
With Oviedo cruising through the Cougars lineup the Chiefs added on in the sixth inning. Zach Kirtley singled and moved to second on a base hit by Yariel Gonzalez. Luken Baker hit a grounder to third and Eudy Ramos threw the ball into right field while attempting to start a double play. The error scored Kirtley for a 2-0 Chiefs lead and put runners on the corners. Davis put the Chiefs on top 3-0 with a single to right and after a pitching change, a wild pitch scored Baker for a four-run lead.
Kodi Whitley came out of the bullpen and escaped a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning with a groundout to shortstop. Kane County loaded the bases to start the seventh as well but Whitley retired the next three batters.
Oviedo (9-7) allowed three hits over 5 2/3 shutout innings as he earned his sixth straight win. The right-hander walked four and struck out four while beating the Cougars for the first time this season. Whitley allowed two hits and walked one over 1 1/3 shutout innings while striking out one. Fabian Blanco allowed one run on two hits over one inning as he struck out one. CJ Saylor earned the save with one shutout and hitless inning as he walked one and struck out one.
Notes… Kirtley has an eight-game hit streak…Davis has back-to-back multi-hit games…Oviedo has won a team-high six straight starts and he is tied for fourth in the MWL with nine wins…In those six starts he has a 2.02 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 31 strikeouts and 23 hits allowed over 35 2/3 innings…Whitley has inherited 21 runners on the season and none have scored…Blanco leads the Chiefs with 36 appearances which is also tied for fourth in the MWL...Saylor is 2-for-2 in save chances…Gonzalez has 33 multi-hit games, one shy of the team lead established by Elehuris Montero prior to his Monday promotion…Nolan Gorman got the night off…Davis racked up his first outfield assist of the season…The series finishes Friday at 6:30 p.m. as the Chiefs start RH Angel Rondon (3-0, 2.51) against Cougars RH Jayson McKinley (6-3, 3.39)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:15 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App…The game is also available to subscribers on MiLB.TV.
