With a one-run lead entering the ninth inning, Nate Dohm and the Chiefs couldn’t hold on as Blake Mitchell delivered a go-ahead two-run single, lifting the River Bandits to a 5-4 win Tuesday night at Dozer Park.
With the loss, the Chiefs dropped to 28-32 in the second half of the season.
The defeat marks just the third time this season Peoria has lost when leading after eight innings.
Peoria jumped out to an early lead. After Brayden Smith singled to begin the bottom of the second, Ian Petrutz launched a two-run homer to right-center to give the Chiefs a 2-0 advantage.
The River Bandits got a run back in the third when Zion Rose stole third and continued home on Ty Van Dyke’s wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, Sammy Hernandez lined an RBI double into the left-field corner to make it 3-1 Peoria.
That was the final inning for River Bandits starter Blake Wolters, who allowed three runs on three hits while he walked one and struck out three.
Quad Cities answered in the fourth when Tyriq Kemp belted a game-tying two-run homer to left-center to tie the game at three.
After back-to-back walks opened the bottom of the fifth, Jalin Flores lined an RBI single to bring home the go-ahead run and put the Chiefs back in front, 4-3.
Ty Van Dyke worked six innings for the third time this season, surrendering three runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out five.
Following scoreless seventh and eighth innings from Bobby Olsen and Zeke Wood, Dohm entered in the ninth with a chance to protect the one-run lead. After Quad Cities put runners on second and third, Mitchell lined a two-run single to give the River Bandits their first lead of the night, 5-4.
Ryan Weingartner drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the ninth, but the Chiefs failed to bring home the tying run.
Wednesday’s game between the Chiefs and River Bandits starts at 6:35 p.m.
Enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 nachos all game long, and bring your dog to Dozer Park for the second straight night of Bark in the Park.
Tickets are available at PeoriaChiefs.com or at the Dozer Park box office.
Fans can watch the game on MiLB.TV and the Bally Sports Live app or listen at PeoriaChiefs.com.