Smith, Chiefs blow past Whitecaps with six-run 11th

After five lead changes and three ties, the Chiefs used a six-run 11th inning to outlast the Whitecaps, 13-10, Saturday night at LMCU Ballpark. Brayden Smith highlighted the offensive outburst with a Chiefs’ season-high five hits.

With the victory, the Chiefs clinched their second series win over the Whitecaps this season and improved to 27-30 in the second half. The series win is the first for Peoria since it swept Cedar Rapids July 28-August 2.

Peoria is now 5-3 in extra-inning games.

A 36-minute rain delay pushed Saturday’s first pitch to 7:41 p.m. ET.

After Caden Ferraro singled and Cade McGee doubled, Tristan Bissetta launched a three-run homer to right field to give the Chiefs a 3-0 lead in the third inning.

Peoria’s first lead held until the sixth. Juan Hernandez singled and Bryce Rainer walked before Christian Santana blasted a one-out, three-run home run to left field, tying the game at three.

Chiefs starter Brian Holiday exited shortly after thereafter, finishing with six strikeouts and just one walk over 5.2 innings. Holiday retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced before West Michigan broke through in the sixth.

West Michigan starter Connor Fenlong went six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while he struck out eight and walked one. After Bissetta’s homer, Fenlong set down 10 of the final 12 batters he faced.

Samuel Gil walked to begin the bottom of the seventh before Carson Rucker reached when the left fielder Bissetta overran and dropped his fly ball, putting runners on first and second. Hernandez then ripped a sharp grounder through the left side to score Gil from second, making it 4-3 West Michigan.

Bissetta and the Chiefs responded in the eighth. He drew a leadoff walk and stole second before Smith belted his fourth hit of the game, a go-ahead two-run shot to right that put Peoria back in front, 5-4.

West Michigan answered in the bottom half. After a walk and a single, Andrew Sojka delivered an RBI single to tie the game at five.

With Ferraro starting at second as the automatic runner in the 10th, McGee wasted no time changing the score again, sending a two-run homer to left-center to give Peoria a 7-5 lead.

West Michigan strung it together in the bottom of the tenth, as Sojka recorded an RBI single and Carson Rucker produced an RBI groundout to tie the game at seven.

The Chiefs finally broke it open with six runs in the 11th. Peoria loaded the bases before Andrew Williamson walked in a run, Caden Ferraro crushed a three-run homer and Smith added an RBI single for his fifth hit of the night, a Chiefs season high, as Peoria surged ahead 13-7.

West Michigan made one final push in the bottom half. Rainer connected on a two-run homer and Ricardo Hurtado hit a solo blast to cut the deficit to 13-10 before the Chiefs recorded the final out.

The Chiefs and Whitecaps play their series finale Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CT – Peoria's final road game of the season. Fans can listen to the hometown call on PeoriaChiefs.com.