Behind a four-run fifth inning and Bobby Olsen’s save, the Chiefs held on for a 5-3 victory over the Sky Carp Thursday night at Dozer Park.
With the victory, the Chiefs have won back-to-back games and climbed within 2.5 games of first-place Beloit in the Midwest League West.
The Chiefs’ defense showed up early. After a leadoff walk to Dillon Head in the first inning, Peoria starter Cade Crossland struck out Max Williams while Sammy Hernandez threw out Head attempting to steal second, completing a ‘strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out’ double play.
With a runner on first and two outs in the second inning, Esmil Valencia’s single trickled into right field, where Ian Petrutz fielded it and fired a dart to third base well in front of the lead runner and end the frame.
The first run of the game came in the bottom of the third when Jalin Flores doubled in Ryan Weingartner after his one-out single to put the Chiefs ahead 1-0.
Crossland stranded two in the fourth, despite walking two and allowing a double, with a double play groundout filtered in.
With two outs in the home fourth, Beloit starter Nate Payne gave up a single and walked two straight before Weingartner struck out to leave the bases loaded.
Peyton Fosher replaced Payne in the fifth inning and allowed four runs on six hits. Sammy Hernandez, Yordalin Peña, Michael Dattalo and José Suárez each delivered RBI singles, as the Chiefs used a collection of soft grounders and flares to extend their lead to 5-0.
In the sixth, Cade Crossland induced a groundout and allowed a single before he was replaced by Trey Pooser. He gave up two consecutive RBI singles to Carter Johnson and Jesus Hernandez to cut the deficit to 5-2.
Crossland worked 5.1 innings of one-run ball where he allowed three hits, walked four and struck out five. Crossland has allowed just one run in each of his first two starts with the Chiefs after his promotion from Palm Beach.
The Sky Carp flew closer in the top of the eighth when Hernandez lined an RBI single on the ground through the 5-6 hole to make it 5-3.
In the ninth, Bobby Olsen allowed a leadoff single but settled in to retire three straight, including two by strikeout, to earn his fifth save of the season.
The Chiefs and the Sky Carp match up for the fourth game of the series Friday at 7:05 p.m.
Chiefs-themed mouse pads will be handed out to the first 1,000 fans on Anime and Video Game Night, which will also feature postgame fireworks. Families can purchase four tickets for just $50, which also includes two small pizza coupons to Firehouse Pizza & Pub.
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 on PeoriaChiefs.com.