The Lugnuts scored their lone run in the first inning before a pitcher’s duel ensued until lightning and rain shortened the game, handing the Chiefs a 1-0 loss in the sixth inning Saturday night at Jackson Field.
With the loss, the Chiefs fell to 24-28 in the second half and have dropped their lone series of the season to the Lugnuts.
Peoria starter Jacob Odle hit Pedro Pineda with his first pitch of the game. Pineda stole second, advanced to third on catcher Cade McGee’s throwing error and scored on Daniel Bucciero’s RBI single to give Lansing a 1-0 lead.
The game turned into a pitcher’s duel between Odle and Lansing starter Jorge Marcheco from there, though the Chiefs had opportunities in the third and fourth innings.
Peoria stranded the bases loaded in the third before having two runners cut down at the plate in the fourth.
Ian Petrutz led off the inning with a double and advanced to third before he was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice grounder to third. With two outs and Michael Dattalo on first, McGee doubled off the left-center field wall, but Breyson Guedez’s throw from left beat Dattalo to the plate to keep Peoria scoreless.
Odle exited in the fifth after allowing just one unearned run on three hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Marcheco tossed 5.2 scoreless innings, giving up four hits while walking two and striking out five.
Petrutz hit a two-out double in the top of the sixth before Lugnuts manager Javier Godard took the ball from Marcheco.
As Lansing reliever Mitch Meyers threw his warmup pitches, lightning struck in the vicinity, sending the game into a delay before rain quickly followed.
After a 55-minute delay, the game was called with two outs in the top of the sixth and the tying run at second. The Chiefs are now 2-2 in rain-shortened games.
The Chiefs and the Lugnuts square off for the sixth and final time this season Sunday at 12:05 p.m. CT. Fans can listen to the hometown call on PeoriaChiefs.com.