Peoria, IL – The Peoria Chiefs won the season series over the Fort Wayne TinCaps with a 2-1 victory on Sunday afternoon and they will go for the sweep Monday. The Chiefs improved to 13-9in the second half and 52-40 overall with the series finale set for Monday at 11:00 a.m.
Peoria pushed across a run in the bottom of the second against TinCaps starter MacKenzie Gore, the third overall pick in the 2017 draft, without recording a hit. Yariel Gonzalez struck out swinging but reached base safely on a wild pitch. JR Davis walked and with one out, Peoria pulled off a double steal to move both runners into scoring position. Jose Martinez drove in Gonzalez on a sacrifice fly to left for an early 1-0 lead.
The Chiefs added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Irving Lopez doubled down the right field line with one out and was brought home on a single to left by Dennis Ortega for a 2-0 advantage.
Fort Wayne got on the board in the top of the sixth against Chiefs starter Paul Balestrieri. Kelvin Melean was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Tirso Ornelas scored him on a double over the head of JR Davis in center to cut the deficit in half 2-1.
Balestrieri (6-4) earned the win throwing 5 2/3 innings allowing one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts while hitting two batters. Zach Prendergast tossed 1/3 scoreless and hitless inning with no walks and two strikeouts. Patrick Dayton pitched a shutout inning on one hit with on walks and one strikeout. Kodi Whitley got the save after setting down the TinCaps in order in the top of the ninth.
Notes… The Chiefs are 14-7 in day games…Peoria is 19-10 during one-run games…Balestrieri matched his career high of five strikeouts…Ortega returned from the disabled list and played for the first time since June 27…He has an eight-game hit streak…The Chiefs are 44-1 when taking a lead into the ninth inning…The Chiefs won their second straight game being out-hit…Peoria went 2-1 against Fort Wayne last season…The Chiefs have allowed just one run in two games this series and only two runs over 27 innings during the three-game win streak…The series concludes on Monday at 11:00 a.m. as the Chiefs start RH Alvaro Seijas (2-5, 5.20) against Fort Wayne LH Osvaldo Hernandez (6-3, 2.25)…Monday is Splash Day involving local summer camps where Chiefs staff will have super soakers and water balloons…It is also a Half Price Monday where fans can purchase $6.50 Dugout Seats, $5.50 Field Box Seats and $4.00 Lawn Seats…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 10:45 a.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive and is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network on the Tune-In Radio App…The game is also available to subscribers on MiLB.TV.
