Beloit, WI – The Peoria Chiefs scored four times in the second inning and collected six doubles in a 4-1 win over the Beloit Snappers on Friday night. The win moves the Chiefs to a season-best 13 games over .500 at 46-33 on the season and they are 7-2 in the second half.
The Chiefs used a big second inning to score all the runs they would need against Snappers starter Jared Poche. Matt Fiedler led off with a single to center and he scored ahead of the throw as Bryce Denton doubled off the left-field wall. JR Davis doubled to left-center to score Denton for a 2-0 lead and Nick Plummer’s double to right put the Chiefs on top 3-0. Plummer advanced to third as Jose Martinez grounded out and Irving Lopez put the Chiefs up 4-0 on a sacrifice fly to center.
Paul Balestrieri kept the Snappers off the board into the fifth inning when Jesus Lopez hit a solo homer to left-center. The Chiefs right-hander bounced back for two more scoreless frames before turning it over to the bullpen. Lefty Patrick Dayton allowed a pair of base runners but did not give up a run to nail down the save.
Balestrieri (4-3) earned the win as he allowed one run on six hits and five walks over seven innings while striking out three. Dayton allowed two hits and struck out one over two shutout innings for his first save of the season.
Notes…Balestrieri has three quality starts including two in a row…he threw a season-high 103 pitches, his third start of at least 100 pitches…The Chiefs have won four straight road games, two to end the first half and the first two of the second half…Plummer had two doubles and his first RBI against a LHP this season…The Chiefs tied a season high from April 12 with six doubles…The Chiefs are 41-7 when allowing four runs or less…Peoria is 6-7 against Beloit this year and 12 of the 13 games have been decided by three runs or less, including all of the last nine…Rodriguez has thrown out 20 would-be base stealers with a 44.4% clip and the Chiefs lead the MWL having thrown out 46% on the season…Denton has his second seven-game hit streak of the season…Davis has hit safely in five straight…The Chiefs have 10 wins on Friday, more than on any other day of the week…The Chiefs are 22-for-27 in save chances…Dayton is the 11th different pitcher to get a save this season…He had two saves last year in the Gulf Coast League…The series continues at 7:00 p.m. Saturday as the Chiefs start RH Alvaro Seijas (2-4, 5.13) against Beloit RH Wyatt Marks (3-6, 3.97)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:45 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App.
