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Beloit, WI– Chiefs outfielder Tommy Jew collected three hits, including a go-ahead, two-out triple in the top of the ninth to give Peoria a 5-4 triumph over the Beloit Snappers. Jew entered the night hitting just .107 since his promotion from Low-A Palm Beach, but the 23-year-old served as the hero Saturday.
The Chiefs jumped out to an early first inning lead for the second time in the series. Masyn Winn reached via an error to begin the game and then promptly swiped second base off Beloit starter Eury Perez. The 18-year-old Perez made his High-A debut Saturday. With Winn at second, Pedro Pages singled into center to give the Chiefs a 1-0 cushion. Two batters later, Todd Lott homered for the third consecutive contest, a two-run blast that made it 3-0. It marked the first time this season that a Peoria hitter homered in three straight games.
Chiefs starter Connor Lunn was on cruise control to begin the night and was perfect through three innings. In the fourth frame, the first four Beloit hitters reached base and the Snappers promptly tied the contest, 3-3.
From there, the Chiefs bats went quiet. After Jew doubled with two outs in the second, the visitors did not record another hit until the seventh inning, when Jew poked a single into right field to plate Moises Castillo and give the Chiefs a 4-3 lead.
The lead did not last for long as the Snappers responded an inning later. After two batters reached against Diego Cordero, Paul Schwendel was summoned from the bullpen to try and get the final five outs. After a wild pitch advanced runners to second and third, Kameron Misner tied the contest on a sacrifice fly.
With the score knotted up again at 4-4, Jew, who finished a homer shy of the cycle, delivered in the clutch to score Castillo for the second time in three innings and give the Chiefs the lead for good, 5-4. In the bottom of the ninth, Schwendel struck out the side and picked up his second win of the season.
The Chiefs will look to earn a series split today. Wilfredo Pereira, the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July, will take the ball as he makes his ninth start of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
