6/14/07 Chiefs Let Lead Bounce Away

On a beautiful night for baseball at Alliance Bank Stadium, the Chiefs blew a four run lead and get doubled up by the Toledo Mud Hens 12-6. The Mud Hens (37-30) used a three run 5th and a five run 6th inning to come back from a 6-2 deficit to handle the Chiefs (31-34) and end their 8 game home winning streak. Another subpar pitching performance by rehabbing starter Victor Zambrano paved the way for the comeback. Zambrano pitched four and a third innings, giving up five runs, two of which came on wild pitches that occurred in the same at bat. The Chiefs kept him out of the losing column with some sparks of their own. A two out double in the 1st by Chad Mottola brought home 2 to give the Chiefs the early lead. Later on a solo homer by Kevin Barker and 3-run shot by Russ Adams gave the Chiefs their 4 run lead. After that, it was all Toledo, going on a ten to nothing run to end the game.

The big inning occurred in the sixth, which saw shoddy fielding costing the Chiefs the lead and the game. The inning started off with a Ramon Santiago double. The next batter, Henry Mateo, laid down a bunt down the 1st base side, which pitcher Justin James couldn't decide whether to play or try to let go foul. In the end, he decided to pick up the ball, but far too late, putting runners on 1st and 3rd. The next at bat saw the wheels fall off the proverbial train. Timo Perez hit a fly ball near the warning track in right field. Right fielder Chad Mottola apparently loses the ball at the last second and the ball bounces over for a ground rule double, instead of what should have been a sac fly and one out. The next batter makes the Chiefs pay, as Ryan Raburn cleared the bases with a double, and ended up to third on a wild cutoff throw from the pitcher's mound by Kevin Barker. Jack Hannahan brought him home later in the inning with a two run homer. Toledo added runs in the seventh and ninth to finish the game.

Toledo starter Virgil Vasquez escapes the game with no decision, despite giving up all six of the Chiefs runs in his four innings pitched. Eulogio De La Cruz (2-0) gets the win, going 3 innings and keeping the Chiefs off the board. The loss went to Justin James (1-1).

Notes: Tonight's game saw the return of pitcher Brandon League, who is on rehab assignment. He pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up 1 run on 1 hit and 1 walk.