Chiefs slam Fort Wayne to avoid sweep

Posted on April 29, 2016

By WJBC Staff

FORD WAYNE, Ind. – A day after being shutout 1-0, the Peoria Chiefs slammed out a season-high 18 hits and beat the Fort Wayne TinCaps 11-1 Thursday night. The Chiefs are now 9-11 on the season as the offense tied the season-high in runs scored to end a four-game losing streak and avoid the sweep.

The Chiefs got going right away against Fort Wayne starter Walker Lockett. Magneuris Sierra, batting leadoff for the first time this seasons, beat out an infield single back to the mound and stole second. RJ Dennard singled with one out and Sierra scored on a two-out infield single by Jose Godoy. Dennard came home to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead on a fielders’ choice RBI off the bat of Dylan Becker.

Peoria kept the pressure on in the second inning as Craig Aikin led off with a single and Sierra picked up his second hit in as many innings. Edmundo Sosa’s single loaded the bases and Aikin scored on a balk for a 3-0 lead. Sierra scored on a groundout by Dennard before Walker got a double play to end the inning with the Chiefs up 4-0.

Thomas Spitz reached on an error to start the fifth and moved to second on a groundout. Casey Turgeon’s single to right scored Spitz for a 5-0 Chiefs lead.

The Chiefs knocked Lockett from the game in the sixth. Aikin led off with a triple and scored on a single by Sierra. Morton native, and Illinois State product Will Headean took over on the mound with one out and walked Dennard. With two down Godoy singled to center to put the Chiefs on top 7-0 and Spitz made it 8-0 with a single to center.

After Fort Wayne got a run in the bottom of the sixth, the Chiefs finished off the scoring in the seventh. Turgeon and Aikin started the inning with singles before Headean got two quick outs. Dennard slammed a triple off the top of the right-field wall to score both runners for a 10-1 lead. Jerry Keel replaced Headean and Chris Chinea singled to right to bring in Dennard for the 11-1 advantage.

Alcantara (3-0) allowed just two hits but walked five over five innings. He walked the first two batters in the sixth and left the game but the leadoff walk scored and was charged to Alcantara. The right-hander struck out six, hit two and threw two wild pitches. Tyler Bray allowed one hit over two shutout innings while walking two and striking out two. Sasha Kuebel retired all six batters he faced over two shutout innings.

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