Peoria on Wrong End of Doubleheader Sweep

BELOIT, WI– The Chiefs were swept away by the Beloit Sky Carp Wednesday as their losing streak reached seven games, a season high. Beloit walked off with a 3-2 win in the opener and claimed game two by a final score of 3-1.

GAME ONE:

The Chiefs took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in game one Wednesday, but the Sky Carp scored in each of the final three innings to secure a 3-2 win in extras.

Peoria had an opportunity to break the game wide open in the first inning but had to settle for just one run. The Chiefs loaded the bases with no one out after the first three men reached via a walk, a single and catcher’s interference. Beloit starter Jacob Miller avoided major trouble with a pair of timely strikeouts in the inning. A Michael Curialle single scored Zach Levenson to give the Chiefs a 1-0 cushion.

Chiefs starter Cooper Hjerpe was on his game early. The former first-round pick punched out the side in the first and recorded five strikeouts over the game’s first two innings. He departed after 3 ⅓ hitless innings, a factor of his pitch count

With the score still 1-0 into the sixth, the Chiefs tacked on an insurance tally. Curialle, who drove in both Peoria runs in game one, was coaxed into an RBI fielder’s choice to boost the lead to 2-0.

After mowing down the Sky Carp in relief, Joseph King issued a walk to lead off the sixth and exited the contest with an injury. With the Sky Carp still hitless, Tanner Jacobson entered from the bullpen. Jacobson walked a pair of Beloit batters and later plunked Torin Montgomery to bring in a run. He whiffed Chase Luttrell to end the inning and keep the no-hitter in tact.

After a pop out, Beloit’s Johnny Olmstead ended the no-hitter in a big way. His solo shot to left center tied the score and sent the game into extras.

Peoria went quietly in the top of the eighth. In the home half, Jake DeLeo singled in the winning run. Beloit reliever Dale Stanavich earned the win. Jacobson was tagged with the loss for Peoria.

GAME TWO:

In a game that featured just six hits, the Sky Carp pitched their way past the Chiefs, winning 3-1.

Emmett Olson made his second High-A start and allowed just one over six innings to secure the win. Olson’s lone blemish, a solo homer from Zach Levenson, was the first run he had surrendered at any level in 2024.

A first-inning ambush provided the Sky Carp with the offense they needed. With one out, Jake Thompson singled, stole second and advanced to third on a Graysen Tarlow throwing error. After a walk, Josh Zamora doubled to the alley in left center to give Beloit a 2-0 lead against Chiefs starter Inohan Paniagua.

Levenson’s third-inning homer was his third blast of the year, tying him for the team lead. He scored two of Peoria’s three runs on Wednesday.

The Chiefs starter settled down after the early struggles. Paniagua whiffed a season-high six batters as he worked into the fourth. The right-hander was lifted with two outs in the inning and two men aboard. Wilfredo Pereira entered the fray and promptly walked the first two batters he faced to bring in a run via the free pass.

Olson made sure the modest stood tall. The southpaw whiffed nine Chiefs batters to earn the win. Josh Ekness did not allow a baserunner in the seventh to earn the save in his High-A debut. Paniagua was tagged with the loss.

Game three of the series is scheduled for Thursday at 6:35 p.m. Pete Hansen, who twirled six shutout innings in his last start, takes the ball for the Chiefs.