Clinton LumberKings Romp Peoria Chiefs 12-4 - A, Midwest League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Clinton, IA – Clad in pink for Mother’s Day, the Clinton LumberKings made the Peoria Chiefs see red all afternoon, belting a season-high five home runs in a 12-4 romp at Alliant Energy Field.  Ian Gac connected for two home runs, his league-leading 13th and 14th of the year, backing right-hander Blake Beavan’s solid five innings and second victory.
 
Gac got off on the right foot against left-hander Zach Ashwood, delivering a two-run blast to the berm in left to give Clinton a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
 
The LumberKings’ offense kept pressure on Ashwood, scoring four runs each in the second and third innings.  Miguel Alfonzo, who did not start but replaced center-fielder Engel Beltre after just one at-bat, dropped a three-run homer over the left-field fence to score both Jose Felix and Carlos Dominguez.  Renny Osuna followed with a shot of his own, airing one over the wood wall in center for his second home run of the year.  It was the second time Clinton hitters have recorded back-to-back blasts this year, as Tim Smith and Mitch Moreland did it just over a week ago in Kane County.
 
Cristian Santana also visited straightaway center with his fourth home run of the year in the third, and Smith’s RBI single to center made it a 10-1 lead after just three innings.
 
After a road loss his last time out, Beavan (W, 2-1) was comfortable again in front of the home crowd, giving up just a run on six hits over 5.0 innings.  The Rangers’ first-round pick struck out a career-high five in just his third professional start.
 
The Chiefs managed a two-run sixth against right-hander Julio Santana on an RBI double by Marquez Smith and a sacrifice fly by Elvis Lara, but the Kings got the runs right back in the eighth.  Gac stepped to the plate against right-hander Jordan Latham and unleashed a towering drive over the pavilion in left.  The solo homer gave the first-baseman his third multi-homer game of the year.
 
Left-hander Ryan Turner allowed a run on three hits over 2.0 innings, and right-hander Adalberto Flores worked around a hit in the ninth to finish the game.
 
Ashwood (L, 0-5) was roughed up for 10 runs, eight earned on eight hits over just 2.2 innings.  Right-handers Todd Blackford and Latham combined to allow two more runs over the final 5.1 innings.
 
Alfonzo and Gac each drove in three runs apiece, while Santana added two RBI.  Smith, Gac, Felix and Santana all had two hits as Clinton recorded 13 hits.  The five home runs was a season-high for the LumberKings, besting the mark of four, set in last Sunday’s 11-4 win over Kane County.
 
Peoria also pounded out 13 hits, but left 10 on base in the game.  Jovan Rosa went 3-for-3 with his 14th double of the year, and Marquez Smith doubled twice to finish at 2-for-5.  Lara and Josh Donaldson both chipped in two hits as well.

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