By WJBC Staff

Clinton, IA – The Peoria Chiefs got four shutout innings from Ryan Helsley but couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead as they lost to the Clinton LumberKings 5-1 on Saturday night. The loss drops the Chiefs to 26-28 in the second half and 66-58-1 overall.

The Chiefs struggled all night with runners in scoring position and it started in the first as Eli Alvarez doubled with two outs but Brian O’Keefe struck out. In the fourth inning Jose Martinez singled off Pedro Vasquez and Alvarez followed with a single to put two on. O’Keefe again struck out, Jose Godoy popped out and RJ Dennard grounded out to end the inning.

In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Chiefs starter Ryan Helsley fired four shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts. He allowed four hits and picked off a runner at first base.

The Chiefs took the lead in the top of the fifth against Vasquez. Craig Aikin’s fourth triple of the season gave the Chiefs an opportunity and Josh Swirchak delivered a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

Harley Holt took over for Helsley in the fifth inning and kept the LumberKings off the board. In the sixth inning Holt hit Rayder Ascanio in the leg to start the inning. Dalton Kelly hit what should have been a double play ball to second but the ball went under Alvarez’s glove and was ruled a single. With runners on the corners, Logan Taylor tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Gus Craig reached on a third strike wild pitch with Kelly taking third and an error by Swirchak at third base put Clinton up 2-1. Connor Hale’s single made it 3-1 before a double play ended the inning.

The Chiefs had a leadoff double in the seventh but failed to score. Clinton put the game away against Nick Frey in the eighth as Kelly hit a solo home run and Hale delivered a sacrifice fly to score Taylor.

Holt (0-4) took the loss allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits over two innings. He struck out two and threw a wild pitch. Frey allowed two runs on three hits over two innings while striking out two.