Beloit, WI – The Peoria Chiefs scored two runs in the top of the first and won their third straight game with a 7-3 victory over the Beloit Snappers on Thursday. The win moves the Chiefs to 5-2 on the season with two games left in Wisconsin for the series.
The Chiefs got off to a great start against Beloit starter Matt Millburn. Tommy Edman beat out an infield single and moved to third on a double to right field by JR Davis. Stefan Trosclair doubled to the wall in left for a 2-0 lead before Brian O’Keefe worked a walk. Millburn recovered from there to strike out three straight and limit the Chiefs damage to two runs.
Ronnie Williams cruised through the first two innings without allowing a base runner and the Chiefs offense went back to work in the third. Trosclair walked, O’Keefe singled and Ryan McCarvel walked to load the bases. Dylan Carlson’s sacrifice fly to center put the Chiefs up 3-0 and ended Millburn’s night. Heath Bowers came out of the bullpen and gave up a sacrifice fly to Vince Jackson for a 4-0 lead before he got out of the inning.
Beloit got on the board and knocked Williams from the game in the seventh. Edwin Diaz led off with a homer and Nate Mondou made it all the way to third on an infield single and two-base throwing error. He scored on a single by Melvin Mercedes and Spencer Trayner took over on the mound. With two on and two out, LaVon Shelby singled to left to cut the Chiefs lead to 4-3 before Trayner got out of the inning.
Peoria responded immediately in the top of the eighth as McCarvel walked and Carlson singled. Brandon Bailey balked and with one out Danny Hudzina doubled off the wall in left for a 6-3 Chiefs lead. Hudzina stole second as Andrew Young walked and he scored to give the Chiefs a 7-3 lead on a throwing error.
Williams (1-0) earned the win as he allowed three runs on five hits over six innings while striking out five. Trayner threw two shutout innings and allowed three hits while striking out two. Greg Tomchick threw a scoreless ninth while allowing two singles and recording a strikeout.
