Comstock Park, MI – The Chiefs’ offense was held to just three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Whitecaps Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark.
With the loss, Peoria falls short of its first three-game win streak of the month and drops to 26-30 in the second half.
Caden Ferraro doubled to begin the ballgame but was stranded at second. It was Peoria’s only baserunner until Jalin Flores singled with one out in the seventh inning, as West Michigan pitching retired 19 consecutive Chiefs in between.
A pitcher’s duel ensued for the third consecutive game to begin the series. West Michigan starter Maddox Long struck out nine without issuing a walk, allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings.
Meanwhile, Peoria’s Brandon Clarke punched out five and walked one, allowing just one unearned run on two hits across 4.1 innings in his fourth Chiefs start.
Starting pitchers from both teams have combined to allow just four runs over 31 innings through the first three games of the six-game series.
In the fifth, second baseman Ryan Weingartner dropped Stephen Hrustich’s popup in shallow left-center, allowing him to reach second base. Andrew Sojka followed with a single to put runners on the corners before stealing second. On the throw down, Hrustich broke for home and dove under the tag to give West Michigan a 1-0 lead.
Ricardo Hurtado homered off Dylan Driessen to lead off the bottom of the seventh, extending the Whitecaps’ lead to 2-0.
In the top of the eighth, José Suárez drew a one-out walk, stole second and third before he scored on Michael Dattalo’s RBI groundout to deep third to cut the deficit to 2-1. Weingartner and Ferraro walked before Sammy Hernandez bounced out to leave the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
West Michigan added an insurance run in the bottom half when Edian Espinal recorded an RBI single with two outs in the inning to make it 3-1 Whitecaps.
Down two in the top of the ninth, Yordalin Peña singled with one out before Tristan Bissetta walked to put two runners on. Anyelo Encarnación bounced into a game-ending double play.
Peoria went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left five on base.
The Chiefs and the Whitecaps square off Friday at 5:35 p.m. CT. Fans can listen to the hometown call on PeoriaChiefs.com.
