MIDLAND, MI – Chiefs pitchers Yhoiker Fajardo, Gerardo Salas and Dominic Freeberger combined for the team’s first shutout of the season, while the bats rallied for six two-out runs in a 6-0 victory over Great Lakes on Friday night at Dow Diamond.
The win is Peoria’s first victory of the week, improving the team’s record to 11-13.
The Chiefs grabbed the lead with two-out hitting in the third. Tai Peete smoked a double off the wall in right center, which extended his hit streak to 10 games. Rainiel Rodriguez followed with a single through the left side of the infield, making it 1-0 Chiefs.
Fajardo, Peoria’s starter, protected that lead. MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 Cardinals prospect set a new season high with seven strikeouts in just 3.2 innings, stranding runners in scoring position in the first and third innings.
He left with two on and two out in the fourth. Salas came on in relief and didn’t flinch, stranding both runners to maintain the lead.
Salas eventually finished 3.1 shutout innings and earned his second win of the season.
Loons starter Logan Tabeling held up his end of the pitchers’ duel, delivering six innings of one-run ball.
Peoria threatened with hits in the sixth, seventh and eighth, but couldn’t break through for insurance.
Freeberger took the ball for the eighth inning and stranded the potential tying run on second base with a strikeout.
The Chiefs got their insurance by opening the floodgates in the top of the ninth.
With two outs and runners on the corners, Won-Bin Cho lined a double into the right field corner. As he slid to stop it, right fielder Mike Sirota bobbled the ball, allowing both runners to score, pushing the lead to 3-0.
Ian Petrutz followed by singling in Cho to swell the lead to 4-0.
The Chiefs got their final two tallies on the wackiest play of the night. With Petrutz on first, Miguel Villarroel singled to right. Sirota fired a throw to third, as Petrutz advanced, which skipped by third baseman Jordan Thompson.
With the ball trickling away, Petrutz sprinted home and scored as an errand throw from Thompson sailed by the catcher. Villarroel never stopped running and scored standing up for a little-league home run, making it 6-0 Chiefs.
Peoria will aim to make it back-to-back wins over the league-best Loons on Saturday, with first pitch set for 6:35 eastern time.
The Chiefs return to Dozer Park on Tuesday to open a six-game set with Wisconsin at 11:05 am. Tickets are available at PeoriaChiefs.com.