By WJBC Staff
DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Peoria Chiefs clinched their first playoff berth in six years on Thursday despite losing to the Quad Cities River Bandits 8-6.
The Chiefs locked up a playoff spot while batting in the second inning when the Beloit Snappers lost 4-2 on the road to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
The Chiefs got a run in the top of the first against Houston Astros 2nd round pick Thomas Eshelman. Paul DeJong doubled off the right-field wall with two outs and scored on a single to right by Alex DeLeon for a 1-0 lead.
Quad Cities took the lead against Dewin Perez in the third inning and broke the game open in the fourth. Luis Reynoso singled with one out in the third and moved to second on a single by Bryan Muniz. Both runners moved up on a passed ball and Reynoso scored on a groundout. Ramon Laureano gave Quad Cities a 2-1 lead with a double to right-center. The Chiefs committed three errors in the fourth and the Bandits scored four unearned runs, punctuated by a two-run homer for Muniz and a 6-1 lead.
The Bandits added two more in the sixth as Steve Sabatino walked the first two batters before getting two outs. A third walk ended Sabatino’s night and newcomer Sasha Kuebel took over on the mound. Drew Ferguson greeted Kuebel with a two-run single to center for an 8-1 Bandits lead.
The Chiefs got back in the game in the eighth against reliever Elieser Hernandez. DeLeon singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. DeLeon took third as Harrison Bader singled and scored on a two-out hit by Brian O’Keefe. Luis Cruz got the Chiefs within 8-3 as he singled home O’Keefe. Derek Gibson walked to load the bases and Darren Seferina double home a pair to cut the lead to 8-5. Zach Davis took over for Hernandez on the mound and Oscar Mercado singled home Gibson before a groundout ended the inning with the Chiefs down 8-6.
Perez (2-6) took the loss allowing six runs, two earned, on eight hits and a walk over 3 2/3 innings. Sabatino allowed two runs on no hits and four walks while striking out three over two innings. Newcomer Sasha Kuebel allowed two hits over 2 1/3 shutout innings while striking out three.
Peoria last made the playoffs in 2009 as a Cubs affiliate and the Chiefs will play Kane County in the first round September 9-11.
