Bowling Green, KY – The Peoria Chiefs skipped scheduled starter Austin Gomber and instead used five bullpen arms in a 7-3 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods Sunday afternoon. The loss ends a six-game roadtrip at 3-3 and puts the Chiefs at 31-18 in the second half and 64-53 overall with 21 games remaining in the season.
The Chiefs jumped out to an early lead as Darren Seferina hit the third pitch of the game into the bullpen for his fourth home run of the season and a 1-0 lead. Cody Schumacher got the spot start for the Chiefs and the Hot Rods tied the game with three straight two-out singles in the second inning.
Nick Lomascolo kept the Hot Rods off the board over the next two innings but the Chiefs offense couldn’t score against Bowling Green’s Hyrum Forno. Bowling Green took the lead for good in the sixth inning against Nicholas Frey with another two-out rally. Three straight hits, including two doubles, put the hosts on top 4-1.
The Chiefs cut into the lead in the seventh inning as Harrison Bader hit his second home run in as many games. The solo shot to left, his fourth of the season, cut the Hot Rods lead to 4-2. Bowling Green put the game out of reach in the eighth against Steve Sabatino. With two down and one run already in, Alec Sole put the Hot Rods on top 7-2 with a two-run single that didn’t even reach the mound. The Chiefs grabbed the final run of the game as Steve Bean’s groundout scored Bader from third in the ninth.
Schumacher allowed one run on three hits over two innings while walking one in his first start of 2015. Lomascolo threw 2 2/3 shutout innings and allowed one hit while striking out two. Frey (1-1) took the loss allowing three runs on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. Sabatino allowed three runs on six hits over 1 2/3 innings and Dixon Llorens retired the only batter he faced in the eighth.
