Peoria, IL – The Peoria Chiefs hit two home runs in a game for just the third time all season to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-2 Sunday night. The win moves the Chiefs to 18-17 in the second half and 58-47 overall on the season.
Neither team scored until the fourth when the Timber Rattlers got on the board against Brennan Leitao. David Denson led off with a bunt single against the shift and moved to second on a wild pitch. After an error and a fielders’ choice, Brandon Diaz put the Rattlers on top 1-0 with a single to center.
The Chiefs bounced right back against Jordan Yamamoto in the bottom of the inning. Jose Martinez walked and with one out Brian O’Keefe launched his seventh home run of the season into the left-field berm for a 2-1 lead. Wisconsin tied the game in the sixth with a solo homer by Denson, his third against the Chiefs this season and 10th overall.
Peoria broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth. Magneuris Sierra led off with a double to left-center and moved to third on a groundout by Jose Godoy. O’Keefe put the Chiefs on top 3-2 as he beat out an infield single and Chris Chinea belted his fourth home run of the season for a 5-2 lead.
Wisconsin loaded the bases in the eighth on an error, single and a walk. But Steven Gallardo struck out the next three batters to keep the Chiefs on top 5-2.
Leitao (6-7) earned the win with six innings in which he allowed two runs on six hits while walking two and striking out four. Gallardo struck out four and walked two while allowing one hit over two shutout innings. Stephen De La Cruz retired all three batters he faced with two strikeouts to earn his sixth save.
Notes… he Chiefs have won five straight home games and are 35-15 at home this season, the best in the MWL…Sierra has a season-best 10-game hit streak…Chinea has hit safely in eight straight…Leitao has gone at least five innings in all 17 starts this season and at least six innings 11 times…He has seven quality starts…The Chiefs have only hit two homers in a game three times this season, all in July…The Chiefs went 15-12 in July after going 15-11 in June…The Chiefs hit .268 in July, their best month of the season, but the team ERA of 4.20 was the worst for any month this season…The Chiefs hits 14 homers in July while allowing 27…Game three of the series is Monday at 7:00 p.m. with Beer and Brats Monday…The Chiefs will start newcomer LH John Kilichowski (0-0, 0.00) against Wisconsin RH Miguel Diaz (1-7, 3.74)…The broadcast can be heard, starting with the Pre-Game Show at 6:45 p.m. on www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive which also has downloads for a free app on the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android…The broadcast is also available on the Peoria Chiefs Network in the Tune-In Radio App.
