Burlington, IA – The Peoria Chiefs swept a double header from the Burlington Bees on Tuesday winning both games 4-2, the first in extra-innings. The wins move the Chiefs to 32-26 in the first half, a half game behind first place Cedar Rapids with 12 games remaining.
In game one the Chiefs left runners at second base in the first and third innings before falling behind. Burlington took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jake Yacinich hit a solo home run to right field off Junior Fernandez. Yacinich singled home a run in the fourth inning as well to give the Bees a 2-0 lead.
The Chiefs loaded the bases in the fifth against Jose Rodriguez. Thomas Spitz walked, Dylan Becker singled and Vaughn Bryan beat out a sac bunt attempt for a single. With one out, Edmundo Sosa got the Chiefs on the board with a sacrifice fly to deep center. Eli Alvarez tied the game 2-2 with a single up the middle before Rodriguez struck out Brian O’Keefe to keep the game tied.
Both teams missed chances in the next couple of innings as the game went into extras. In the ninth inning, Becker singled off Aaron Cox with one out and Bryan’s triple to left-center put the Chiefs on top 4-3. Magneuris Sierra singled home Bryan to double the Chiefs lead and Juan Perez finished off the Bees in the bottom of the ninth.
Fernandez allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three while allowing a home run. Perez (2-1) earned the win in relief with 2 1/3 shutout innings as he allowed one hit and struck out one.
The Chiefs grabbed an early lead against Burlington starter Luis Pena in game two without even getting a hit. Sierra reached on an error by Yacinich at shortstop to start the game and with one out Alvarez and Chirs Chinea drew consecutive walks. Jose Godoy hit a potential double play ball to second base but the throw to first was off the mark allowing Sierra and Alvarez to score for a 2-0 Chiefs lead.
Alvarez led off the third inning with a walk from Pena and he stole two bases against Tanner Lubach. A wild pitch with one out scored Alvarez for a 3-0 Chiefs lead even though they still didn’t have a hit.
Former Chiefs pitcher Jhonny Polanco took over on the mound in the top of the fourth and Craig Aikin greeted him with a long home run over the 16-foot wall in right field. The homer, Aikin’s first as a professional, gave the Chiefs a 4-0 lead.
Chiefs starter Ryan Helsley, named a Midwest League All-Star on Tuesday, blanked the Bees over six innings. Stephen De La Cruz took over in the seventh and the Bees loaded the bases on a single, walk and an error by Sosa at shortstop. Angelo Amendolare singled to cut the Chiefs lead to 4-1 before De La Cruz struck out Lubach. Burlington closed the gap to 4-2 with a fielders’ choice and had runners on the corners when Brendon Sanger grounded out to end the game.
Helsley (5-1) earned the win as he allowed three singles and struck out eight over six shutout innings. De La Cruz allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit and one walk in one inning as he struck out one.
