Chiefs blanked by Bandits

Dozer Park
The Peoria Chiefs lost to Quad Cities on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Peoria Chiefs)

By WJBC Staff

PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs were shutout 2-0 Tuesday night by the Quad Cities River Bandits for their first home loss of the season. The loss drops the Chiefs to 3-2 on the season and they will host the River Bandits in the final game of the homestand Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Peoria fell behind in the top of the first inning when Kyle Tucker, the Astros fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, homered to left field off Chiefs starter Brennan Leitao. The River Bandits got a rally going in the top of the third when Daz Cameron, son of major leaguer Mike Cameron, walked, Tucker singled to right and Anthony Hermelyn walked. With the bases loaded, Cameron scored on a wild pitch making the score 2-0.

The Chiefs had a couple of chances to score but came up empty against a trio of River Bandits hurlers. Brian O’Keefe double to start the season against Alex Winkelman but was stranded at third when Tucker made a diving catch in left to rob Craig Aikin. In the fourth, RJ Dennard singled with one out and O’Keefe walked. However Winkleman got consecutive flyouts to end the threat. The Chiefs lost a runner on an outfield assist in the sixth and then stranded Edmundo Sosa at second in the same inning.

Leitao (0-1) took the loss despite allowing just two runs on four hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out four and allowed a home run. Lefty Sasha Kuebel threw two shutout innings with one walk and one strikeout. Landon Beck threw two shutout innings with five strikeouts and one walk issued.

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