Peoria, IL – The Peoria Chiefs collected two walk-offs in 4-3 and 2-1 wins to sweep the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday. The wins boost the Chiefs to 4-5 on the season with an off day tomorrow and next series taking place on the road at Quad Cities starting Tuesday night.
In game one, the Chiefs scored first in the bottom of the second against Timber Rattlers starter Dylan File. With one out, Bryce Denton walked and Julio Rodriguez doubled down the left field line. Nick Plummer reached on an infield single that scored Denton to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.
Peoria extended their lead with a pair of homers against File in the bottom of the third. Yariel Gonzalez unloaded a solo homer to right field putting the Chiefs up 2-0. On the very next pitch Elehuris Montero cranked a solo shot over the fence in right field for back-to-back home runs and a 3-0 Chiefs lead.
Wisconsin answered in the top of the fourth inning against Chiefs starting pitcher Evan Guillory. With two outs, Franly Mallen singled and later moved up to third on a wild pitch. Roscetti drove in Mallen on a single up the middle to get the Timber Rattlers on the board trailing 3-1.
The Timber Rattlers scored again in the bottom of the fifth against Guillory. Joantgel Segovia led off with a double and McInerney drew a walk. Guillory struck out Demi Orimoloye and Jay Feliciano but Gilbert Lara drove in Segovia on a single to right trimming the Chiefs lead to 3-2.
Wisconsin tied the game in the top of the sixth inning against Chiefs reliever Kodi Whitley. Roscetti doubled to right with one out. Whitley struck out Tristen Lutz but Segovia singled home Roscetti to tie the game 3-3.
The game stayed 3-3 into the seventh against Wisconsin pitcher Joaquin De La Cruz. Rodriguez led off with a double to right. Nick Plummer reached on an infield single and a throwing error by Roscetti brought home Rodriguez for the winning run.
Guillory received a no-decision in the start going 4 2/3 innings allowing two runs on seven hits, three walks and seven strikeouts. Whitley (1-0) earned the win, pitching 2 1/3 innings surrendering one run on two hits, one walk and five strikeouts.
The Timber Rattlers scored in the top of the first inning of game two against Chiefs starter Alvaro Seijas. Segovia walked with one out and Orimoloye tripled him home to give Wisconsin a 1-0 lead.
Peoria answered in the bottom of the first against Timber Rattlers starter Christian Taugner. Lopez led off with a double to right and with two outs, Yepez reached on an infield single to score Lopez to tie the game 1-1.
The next run was the winning run for the Chiefs in the bottom of the seventh against Wisconsin pitcher Gabe Friese. Montero singled with two outs and Yepez brought him around on a walk-off double on a ball that carried past Wisconsin center fielder Nick Clark to win it.
Seijas pitched five innings letting up one run on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in a no-decision. Bryan Dobzanski (1-0) earned the win throwing two shutout innings only allowing one hit with no walks and two strikeouts.
Notes…Sunday was the first doubleheader of the 2018 season and the Chiefs first walk off wins …Gonzalez and Taylor Bryant both have a seven-game hit streak…Yepez leads the MWL with 11 RBI as he had one in each game…He also leads the league with a .500 average through nine games…The Chiefs next home game is also against Wisconsin, on Friday…Peoria swept Wisconsin, winning all three games by one run…Monday is a league-wide off day.
