Lansing Lugnuts Hang On For 8-7 Win Over Peoria Chiefs

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Peoria , IL – The Peoria Chiefs fell to the Lansing Lugnuts 8-7 on Thursday night in front of 3,021 at O’Brien Field, their first loss at O’Brien Field since June 22. The first-place Chiefs are now 18-9 in the second half and 48-47 on the season.

After retiring the first three Lugnuts, the Chiefs jumped out in front of Lansing in their half of the first. With two outs, Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch from Lugnuts starter Mark Rzepczynski, who put another Chief on base as Jovan Rosa walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch from Rzepczynski and then scored as Rebel Ridling singled to put the Chiefs up 2-0. A double off the bat of Luis Bautista scored Rosa before Cliff Andersen grounded out to end the inning with the Chiefs up 3-0.

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Lansing responded in the second with two runs of their own against Chiefs starter Audy Santana. With one down, David Cooper singled to center, and Kevin Ahrens doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Moises Sierra grounded out to put the Chiefs one out closer to ending the threat, but Yohermyn Chavez doubled, putting the Lugnuts one run behind the Chiefs at 3-2.

The Lugnuts came out strong again in the third to take the lead. Justin Jackson led off with a single off Santana but was thrown out as John Tolisano reached on a fielders choice. As Jonathan Jaspe grounded out, Tolisano advanced to second before scoring on a single from Matt Liuzza. Cooper followed with a double, scoring Liuzza and putting the Lugnuts ahead 4-3. An infield single from Ahrens and an error on Chiefs second baseman Gian Guzman scored Cooper and extended Lansing ’s lead to 5-3.

The fourth inning began with two more runs for Lansing against Chiefs reliever Zach Ashwood. With one out, Jackson reached on a base hit and Tolisano doubled to left. Jaspe scored them both with a single up the middle, putting the Lugnuts further ahead at 7-3.

The Chiefs came back to within one run of the Lugnuts in their half of the fifth. Gian Guzman led off against Rzepczynski with a single and was followed by another base hit from Nate Samson. A sacrifice bunt by Jonathan Wyatt advanced both runners, and Lara doubled to score Guzman and decrease the Chiefs deficit to 7-5. Rosa scored Samson with a sacrifice fly to right field to put the team one closer at 7-6.

The bottom of the seventh looked good for the Chiefs as they put three runners on with one down, but reliever Tim Collins got Lansing out of the inning untouched. Samson led off with a single to right, and Wyatt was hit by a pitch from Rzepczynski. After Rzepczynski struck out Elvis Lara for the first out, Collins came on to throw a wild pitch to advance both runners. Rosa was intentionally walked to load the bases in hopes of a double play by the Lugnuts, a plan which worked out in their favor as Ridling grounded into a 5-3 double play, leaving the Chiefs down one 7-6.

Lansing added what turned out to be a much-needed insurance run in the ninth against closer Steve Vento to put them up by two. With one out, Cooper singled to left, followed by a double by Ahrens. Sierra’s sacrifice fly to center scored Cooper to put the Lugnuts at 8-6 over the Chiefs.

The suspense was thick in the bottom of the ninth as the Chiefs came within one run of the Lugnuts. Guzman was walked by Collins to lead off the inning, and Samson popped out to second for the first out. An infield single by Wyatt was followed by another single from Lara to load the bases. Rosa struck out for the second out, and Collins faced Ridling with a full count before finally walking him to score Guzman. Bautista struck out to end the game with the bases loaded, leaving the Chiefs just one run away at 8-7.

Santana threw three innings for the Chiefs, allowing five runs on seven hits and striking out two. Ashwood pitched three innings of relief work, giving up four hits and two runs with no walks or strikeouts. Jake Muyco kept the Lugnuts scoreless in his two innings of work, allowing two hits and striking out two. Vento threw one inning and allowed one run on two hits with no walks or strikeouts.

Player of the Game – Nate Samson (SS) – Samson was 3-for-5 against Lansing with three singles. He scored one run for the Chiefs and had a stolen base in the second. Samson now has eight three-hit games on the season and leads the team with 32 multi-hit games.

Notes… The Chiefs scored 12 of their last 15 runs with two outs…Ridling is 5-for-9 (.556) with runners in scoring position…Brandon Guyer has been hit by a pitch seven times in 13 games in the month of July…Chiefs manager Ryne Sandberg was ejected for the fifth time this season and the second time against Lansing…His last ejection came on May 28 against Cedar Rapids… Bautista set a new season-high hitting streak with ten hits with an RBI double in the first inning… The Chiefs are 13-13 against left-handed pitchers this year… Vento had allowed only two earned runs in 15 2/3 innings since the second half…The series concludes on Friday evening at 7:00 … The first 1,500 fans to arrive at the field will receive a caricature Greg Maddux t-shirt, compliments of Sprint…Gates will open at 6:00 pm for the giveaway …Peoria will send RH Julio Castillo (0-1, 1.76) to the mound while Lansing counters with LH Brian Letko (1-2, 4.91).

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