The Peoria Chiefs hit two home runs as Jack Flaherty struck out a career-high seven batters in a 4-2 win over the Beloit Snappers Friday night. The win allows the Chiefs to close July with a 21-8 record in the month and they are now 23-12 in the second half and 56-47 overall in 2015.
The Chiefs got out of a jam in the bottom of the first inning as Flaherty recorded back-to-back strikeouts with runners on first and second. The offense capitalized as Nick Thompson clubbed a solo home run with two outs in the second off Heath Fillmyer. The blast, his ninth of the season, but the Chiefs on top 1-0.
Beloit tied the game in the third inning with a one-out rally. Joe Bennie doubled to left-center and Iolana Akau drew a walk from Flaherty. Jose Brizuela tied the score 1-1 with a single to right before Flaherty got Sandber Pimentel to pop up and Max Kuhn to fly out to end the inning.
The Chiefs came right back against Fillmyer in the fourth. Alex DeLeon regained the team lead in home runs from Thompson with a solo blast to straight away center, his 10th of the season. Thompson just missed his 10th homer as he tripled off the wall in right-center. Luis Cruz put the Chiefs on top 3-1 with a single to right before the Chiefs left two runners on base.
The lead grew in the seventh against reliever Lee Sosa. Darren Seferina led off with a triple to center and scored on a fielder’s choice by Paul DeJong as the Snappers second baseman threw home late. The Chiefs lead was cut to 4-2 as Beloit scored against Nick Frey in the bottom of the seventh with a double, walk and single.
Flaherty (6-1) struck out a career-high seven and allowed one run on four hits over six innings to earn the win. The right-hander walked one and hit one. Frey allowed one run on three hits and one walk over one inning while striking out two. Dixon Llorens allowed one walk over two hitless and shutout innings while striking out three to earn his first save of the season.
