Behind 5.2 innings of one hit baseball from Tanner Franklin, the Chiefs have an even record for the first time in 39 days after a 7-1 victory over the Sky Carp on Thursday night at Dozer Park.
Franklin retired the first nine Beloit batters he faced, while Sky Carp starter Luke Lashutka set down seven of the first Peoria hitters.
After two homers Wednesday for Tre Richardson III, the nine-hole hitter for Peoria hit another in the third inning to put the Chiefs in front 2-0, scoring Luis Pino.
That was the lone damage done off Lashutka who allowed just the two runs on one hit in his four innings of work.
The Chiefs broke through in the fifth when reliever Payton Fosher replaced Lashutka. Cade McGee hit his second home run in as many days with a leadoff shot to make it 3-0 Peoria.
Cameron Nickens and Richardson hit a pair of singles to set up a three-run blast by Jesús Báez. Jack Gurevitch recorded another Chiefs hit in the fifth, and José Suárez drove him in on an RBI single to extend the lead to 7-0.
In the sixth, Franklin recorded the first two outs but was replaced by Nolan Sparks after a two-out walk to Wilfredo Lara.
The Sky Carp got on the board in the sixth when Drew Faurot singled in Lara to cut their deficit to 7-1.
Franklin, the Cardinals No. 10 prospect, went a season-long 5.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one run, walking one and striking out seven.
Sparks, Nolan Galle, and José Davila took the Chiefs the rest of the way with a combined 3.1 scoreless innings.
The Chiefs, now 27-27, own an even record for the first time since they were 10-10 on April 26.
Peoria takes a three-game win streak into Friday night’s affair with the Sky Carp. First pitch is scheduled at 7:05 p.m.
Fans can purchase their tickets online at PeoriaChiefs.com or by visiting the Dozer Park box office.
Otherwise, join Larry Larson and Nico Horning on the video broadcast on MiLB.TV or the Bally Sports Live app. Fans can also listen to the game on PeoriaChiefs.com.