The Peoria Chiefs got a three-run homer in the first from Harrison Bader and never looked back as they beat the Lake County Captains 7-1 Wednesday night in front of 5,641 fans. The win improves the Chiefs to 59-48 overall and 26-13 in the second half with four games left on the current home stand.
The Chiefs opened the scoring in the bottom of the first against Captains starter Sean Brady. Oscar Mercado led off with a single and Paul DeJong drew a four-pitch walk. Mercado and DeJong were along for the ride when Harrison Bader blasted his second home run in as many games to left field to give Peoria the 3-0 lead.
Peoria added to their lead in the fourth with one swing of the bat. With one out Luis Cruz singled to center and he was erased trying to move up on a ball in the dirt. On the next pitch Jake Gronsky drove a no-doubt home run to left-center to give Peoria a 4-0 lead.
Peoria kept adding to their lead in the sixth. Brian O’Keefe and Nick Thompson hit back-to-back singles and O’Keefe scored when Luis Cruz reached on a Captains error to make it 5-0. Thompson scored and Cruz moved to third on a double by Gronsky for the 6-0 Peoria lead, and Cruz scored when Andrew Sohn reached on another Lake County error to make it 7-0.
The Captains got on the board in the eighth against Chiefs reliever Nick Frey. With two out Anthony Santander doubled and scored on a single by Bobby Bradley to make it 7-1.
Gomber (12-3) got the win, going 6 2/3 shutout innings, allowing just five hits and one walk, striking out five. Frey went 1 1/3, allowing one run on two hits, striking out one. Dixon Llorens pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and one walk, striking out one.
