Behind five innings of one-run ball from Cardinals No. 9 prospect Tanner Franklin, the Chiefs earned their first win of the week with a 6-3 victory over the River Bandits on Friday night at Modern Woodman Park.
With the victory, Peoria snapped a four-game skid and secured its first win over Quad Cities this season.
Franklin struck out the side in the first inning before allowing his only run of the night in the second: a leadoff solo homer by Derleen Figueroa to make it 1-0 River Bandits.
Quad Cities starter Tanner Jones was effective as well, retiring the first eight Chiefs batters.
Strong defense kept the River Bandits from adding on in the third inning. After a one-out triple by Asbel Gonzalez, Sammy Hernandez threw him out on a snap throw to third. Nolan Sailors followed with a single before Franklin picked him off to end the frame.
In the fifth, the Chiefs pounced on Jones, scoring three runs on five hits. Luis Pino’s RBI double, José Suárez’s RBI triple and Michael Dattalo’s RBI single put Peoria in front 3-1.
Franklin pitched five frames for Peoria, allowing one run on six hits. He did not issue a walk for the first time this season and matched the career-high nine strikeouts he recorded on Opening Day at Cedar Rapids.
Peoria added another in the sixth when Cameron Nickens brought in Christian Martin on a sacrifice fly to deep left field, extending its lead to 4-1.
Chiefs reliever Gerardo Salas tossed scoreless sixth and seventh innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.
On the first pitch of the eighth inning, Josh Kross belted a solo home run to left-center field to make it 5-1 Chiefs. Pino recorded his third hit of the game later in the frame, an RBI single to grow the lead to 6-1.
The River Bandits got two runs back in the bottom of the eighth thanks to Sailors’ two-run shot to right-center off Jason Savacool, cutting their deficit to 6-3.
José Davila entered the game in the bottom of the ninth for the Chiefs, retiring three of the four batters he faced to secure his first save of the season.
The Chiefs trail the series 3-1 heading into Saturday’s 5:30 contest at Modern Woodman Park. Fans can listen to the Chiefs’ audio broadcast on PeoriaChiefs.com.