Peoria, IL – The Peoria Chiefs walked off the Burlington Bees in game one of the doubleheader 6-5 and then used a six-run fourth inning in game two for a 7-2 victory to pull off a rare five-game series sweep. The Chiefs improved to 30-24 overall and will travel to Clinton for game one of a three game series Friday at 6:30 p.m.
The Bees jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning of game on Chiefs starter Kodi Whitley. Leonardo Rivas and Spencer Griffin singled to put two runners on base. Franklin Torres drew a one-out walk to load the bases as Rivas scored on a force out from Julio Garcia who beat out the double play at first.
Down 1-0, the Chiefs tied the game in the bottom of the second against Bees starter Mitchell Traver. Yariel Gonzalez and Zach Kirtley hit back-to-back singles to start the frame. With one out, JR Davis grounded into a fielder’s choice but the throw to first was off line from the second baseman Garcia as Gonzalez scored to bring the game even 1-1.
Peoria used a two-out rally to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Irving Lopez extended the inning with a two-out single and Montero followed with a single to right field. Gonzalez brought Lopez around on a double to right and Montero advanced to third as the Chiefs moved ahead 2-1.
Three unearned runs helped Burlington regain the lead in the top of the fourth. Connor Fitzsimons reached first on a throwing error by Gonzalez. Jeyson Sanchez singled and Zane Gurwitz walked to load the bases. Rivas punched a single to right center to score Fitzsimons and Sanchez for a 3-2 lead. With runners at the corners, Griffin singled home Gurwitz as the margin increased to 4-2.
The Chiefs answered in the bottom of the fifth and it started with a lead off walk from Lopez. Montero scored Lopez on a triple to right center and Gonzalez tied the game by poking a single to left as Montero crossed home plate for the 4-4 tie.
Burlington moved back in front via the longball in the top of the sixth against reliever Bryan Dobzanski. Fitzsimons hit a leadoff homer over the wall in left field as the Bees jumped ahead 5-4.
The back and forth game continued in the bottom of the seventh when the Chiefs rallied for a walk-off on reliever Austin Krzeminski. Scott Hurst led off with a double down the left field line and Lopez drove him in on a single to tie the game 5-5 with nobody out. Montero sent us to game two with a walk-off single to right as the throw was well over the plate as Lopez scored for a 6-5 win.
Whitley received a no-decision throwing 3 2/3 innings allowing one earned run on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Dobzanski (4-2) earned the win tossing 3 1/3 innings allowing one run on two hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
In game two, the Bees got on the board first in the top of the third against Chiefs starter Levi MaVorhis. Sanchez doubled to right center and with one down, Rivas rolled a single up the middle to score Sanchez for a 1-0 lead.
Peoria blew the game open in the bottom of the fourth against Bees reliever Brett Hanewich. Kirtley drew a leadoff walk and with one out Bryce Denton singled followed by a Matt Fiedler infield single to load the bases. Davis delivered a single to right as Kirtley and Denton scored as the Chiefs took a 2-1 advantage. Moreno walked to load the bases again and that ended Hanewich’s night as Anfernee Benitez entered out of the bullpen. Montero cleared the bases with a double to center for a 5-1 lead. The Chiefs batted around in the inning as Gonzalez walked and Kirtley singled home Montero as the margin grew to 6-1.
Burlington attempted to chip away the deficit in the top of the fifth. Jimmy Barnes led off the inning with a solo homer to left as the Peoria lead was cut to 6-2.
Moreno in his second game in a Chiefs uniform helped add to the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Denton hustled for a double to left field and with two outs Moreno plated him on a double of his own for a 7-2 advantage.
MaVorhis (2-0) earned the win throwing 5 1/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits as he struck out five. Robert Calvano allowed no hits or runs over 1 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking one.
Notes… The Chiefs are 7-1 in double headers…Hurst has a six-game hit streak… Lopez has a six-game hit streak…Montero recorded his 18th multi-hit game and seventh multi-RBI game… Peoria now has six walk off wins this season including four in double header games…Two are against the Bees this week…The Chiefs have 10 wins on their last at-bat….Gonzalez has a nine-game hit streak…Gonzalez recorded his 13th multi-hit game and sixth multi-RBI game…The Chiefs are 4-4 on Thursday…. The Chiefs are 14-17 when the opponent scores first…MaVorhis made his first start of the 2018 season…Moreno made his Chiefs and 2018 debut while recording his first hit as a member of the Chiefs…The six-run inning in the fourth of game two matches the season high of runs in an inning…The Chiefs swept a team in five games at home for the first time since June 14-17, 2009 vs. Quad Cities…MaVorhis threw a career-high 5 1/3 innings…Peoria starts a three-game series on the road at Clinton at 6:30 p.m. on Friday…The Chiefs will start RH Alvaro Seijas (1-3, 5.15) against Clinton LH Nick Wells (2-2, 4.45)….The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:15 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network on the Tune-In Radio App.
