By WJBC Staff
PEORIA – The Peoria Chiefs rallied from behind to win both games on Monday in a doubleheader sweep of the Burlington Bees. The wins move the Chiefs to 31-32 in the second half, 71-62 overall and guarantee a winning season for the third straight year, a feat which has only happened two other times in franchise history.
The Chiefs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game one against starter Jose Rodriguez. Magneuris Sierra doubled and scored on a double by Jose Martinez. Eli Alvarez singled, Chris Chinea reached on catchers’ interference with one out and Leo Pina put the Chiefs on top by two with a sacrifice fly.
Burlington scored five in the second against Dailyn Martinez. Brendon Sanger drove in the first run before Troy Montgomery tied the game with a bases loaded sacrifice fly. Two singles and an error by Sierra put the Bees up 5-2.
Peoria cut into the lead as Martinez singled home two runs in the second inning. Leading 5-4, Burlington added on with a RBI single from Alexis Rivera in the third.
The Chiefs got the deficit back to one in the fourth as Sierra singled home Craig Aikin before a double play ended the inning. The Chiefs went into the bottom of the seventh down 6-5 and Sierra led off with his second double of the game. With one out and a runner on third Burlington intentionally walked Alvarez and he stole second. Aaron Cox came out of the bullpen and Brian O’Keefe singled to left to tie the game and Alvarez scored when Jahmai Jones misplayed the ball for an error and a Chiefs 7-6 walk off win.
Martinez allowed six runs, five earned, on 10 hits over five innings in a no-decision. He walked one and struck out four. Tyler Bray threw a perfect inning with a strikeout. Steven De La Cruz (8-1) got the win with a perfect inning.
Burlington jumped out to the early lead in game two against spot starter Harley Holt. Jared Walsh doubled home Jones and scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 first inning lead. Martinez immediately cut the lead in half with a double to left in the bottom of the frame to score Aikin.
The Bees took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning on a double, error and single. The Chiefs rallied in the fifth against Luis Pena. Alvarez doubled home Carlos Torres to cut the Bees lead to 3-2 and O’Keefe put the Chiefs on top with a two-run single to right.
Holt took a no-decision allowing two runs on three hits over four innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Bob Wheatley (1-1) earned the win as he allowed one run on three hits over 1 2/3 innings while striking out one. Josh Wirsu earned the save with 1 1/3 innings in which he allowed a hit, walked one and struck out one.
