The Peoria Chiefs were unable to hold on to a two-run lead in the ninth inning, falling 9-7 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday afternoon at Dozer Park. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Chiefs.
Wisconsin got on the scoreboard early with two runs in the top of the second inning. Gabriel Garcia led off the inning with a stand-up double, then was driven home on a double to center by Jesus Lujano. Lujano would double the visitors lead when he crossed the plate by a single off the bat of Je’Von Ward that made its way through the right side of the infield.
The lead would not last long as the Chiefs tacked on three runs in the bottom half of the second inning courtesy of a three-run home run off the bat of Chandler Redmond. Brendan Donovan led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, then was preceded by a walk from Zade Richardson.
The Timber Rattlers took advantage of a bases loaded situation, tacking on two runs in the top of the fifth to regain the lead (5-4). With no outs, Hayden Cantelle hit a sac fly to right field that plated in Kekai Rios, then a wild pitch with two outs scored Korry Howell. Fabian Blanco would stop the bleeding, coming in for relief out of the bullpen and striking out the first batter he faced, Thomas Dillard.
Alec Burleson continued his hot start with a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the sixth – his team-leading fourth of the campaign – to even the score at five apiece. Peoria continued to threaten in the frame with the bases loaded and one out but were unable to capitalize and left the runners stranded to end the inning.
It would be Burleson again in the bottom of the seventh to regain the lead for the Chiefs with a sac-fly to center for his third RBI of the day, scoring Christhian Longa from third. That was immediately followed by another sac-fly by Brady Whalen that brought in Jhon Torres, increasing the hosts lead to 7-5.
Wisconsin jumped back on top in the ninth with a solo shot by Korry Howell to start the frame, before Thomas Dillard hit a two-out gapper in the middle of the infield that scored the tying run. It would be Ward with the eventual game-winning hit on a two-run double that fell in right to give the visitors a 9-7 lead.
The Chiefs will be back at Dozer Park on Tuesday, May 18 when they play host to the Quad Cities River Bandits for a six-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
