ryno4ever
Apr 6th 2007, 9:36 am
Appleton, WI – A seven run top of the first inning propelled the Peoria Chiefs and new Manager Ryne Sandberg to a Opening Night 9-5 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on a frigid Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
With much of the pre-game attention focused on Sandberg’s first official game as a manager, it was the top of the Chiefs lineup that set the tone. Second baseman Matt Camp led off the game with a walk and moved to third when starting pitcher Ricky Orta’s errant pickoff throw landed in the Chiefs bullpen. With one out, Josh Lansford and Russ Canzler drew back to back walks loading the bases. Alfred Joseph drove in the first run of the season with a single to right and Yusuf Carter made it 2-0 with an infield single off Orta’s right leg. Dylan Johnston beat out an infield single as Canzler scored for a 3-0 lead and DJ Lewis added two more with a solid single to left. Wellington Castillo walked to reload the bases and Camp bounced a grounder to second. The Rattlers forced Castillo at second as Johnston scored and Lewis came home when the relay throw to first was wild. By time Orta finished the top of the first, Peoria led 7-0.
RH Billy Muldowney mowed down the Rattlers in order in the home half of the first and gave up two runs in the second. Kuo Hui Lo doubled in a run off the left field wall with one out in the second and came home on a triple to left-center by Kalian Sams. The Rattlers got one more back in the third when Gavin Dickey doubled and scored on a single by Carlos Triunfel
Leading 7-3, the Chiefs added an insurance run in the fifth against reliever Andrew Barb. With one out, Russ Canzler walked, stole second and went to third on another throwing error. He then came home to give the Chiefs an 8-3 lead when Barb uncorked a wild pitch. Wisconsin got the run back in the home half of the inning when Triunfel singled, stole second and scored on a sacirifce fly by Greg Halman.
The Chiefs capped the scoring in the seventh with an unearned run off Justin Souza. With two outs, Carter singled to right and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Souza. Johnston beat out another infield single as Carter scored for a 9-5 Chiefs lead.
Muldowney (1-0) picks up the win, the second of his pro career. The Pennsylvania native tossed five inning and allowed three earned runs on eight hits. He also struck out a career high nine batters. Marco Carillo struck out five and allowed one run on three hits over three innings. Jeremy Papelbon struck out two in a perfect ninth inning. Orta (0-1) took the loss for Wisconsin giving up six earned runs on four hits and four walks in one inning.
Players of the Game
Matt Camp (2B) & Billy Muldowney (RHP) – Camp set the tone for the entire game when he walked in the first and moved to third on an error and scored. He reached base in all five plate appearances and finishes 2-for-4 with a stolen base, run scored and RBI. Muldowney mowed down the Rattlers with a career high nine strikeouts. He went five innings and kept Wisconsin from getting back in the game.
Notes… Temperature at first pitch was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 18…Last year’s first pitch temperature between the two teams was 53 degrees…The Chiefs are now 11-14 in the 25 season openers, 5-8 on the road and 2-2 against Wisconsin…The last time the Chiefs won their opener was 2003 and the last road win on opening day was in 2000…Wisconsin used five pitchers and four of them made throwing errors…Valerio Heredia struck out in each of his first four at-bats before grounding out in the ninth…There were nine errors committed in the game, seven by Wisconsin…On Friday the Chiefs send RHP Al Alburquerque (0-0, 0.00) to the mound against RH Chris Tillman (0-0, 0.00)…Game time is 6:35…The broadcast begins with the pregame show on www.peoriachiefs.com at 6:20.
Way to go Ryno and the Chiefs!
With much of the pre-game attention focused on Sandberg’s first official game as a manager, it was the top of the Chiefs lineup that set the tone. Second baseman Matt Camp led off the game with a walk and moved to third when starting pitcher Ricky Orta’s errant pickoff throw landed in the Chiefs bullpen. With one out, Josh Lansford and Russ Canzler drew back to back walks loading the bases. Alfred Joseph drove in the first run of the season with a single to right and Yusuf Carter made it 2-0 with an infield single off Orta’s right leg. Dylan Johnston beat out an infield single as Canzler scored for a 3-0 lead and DJ Lewis added two more with a solid single to left. Wellington Castillo walked to reload the bases and Camp bounced a grounder to second. The Rattlers forced Castillo at second as Johnston scored and Lewis came home when the relay throw to first was wild. By time Orta finished the top of the first, Peoria led 7-0.
RH Billy Muldowney mowed down the Rattlers in order in the home half of the first and gave up two runs in the second. Kuo Hui Lo doubled in a run off the left field wall with one out in the second and came home on a triple to left-center by Kalian Sams. The Rattlers got one more back in the third when Gavin Dickey doubled and scored on a single by Carlos Triunfel
Leading 7-3, the Chiefs added an insurance run in the fifth against reliever Andrew Barb. With one out, Russ Canzler walked, stole second and went to third on another throwing error. He then came home to give the Chiefs an 8-3 lead when Barb uncorked a wild pitch. Wisconsin got the run back in the home half of the inning when Triunfel singled, stole second and scored on a sacirifce fly by Greg Halman.
The Chiefs capped the scoring in the seventh with an unearned run off Justin Souza. With two outs, Carter singled to right and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Souza. Johnston beat out another infield single as Carter scored for a 9-5 Chiefs lead.
Muldowney (1-0) picks up the win, the second of his pro career. The Pennsylvania native tossed five inning and allowed three earned runs on eight hits. He also struck out a career high nine batters. Marco Carillo struck out five and allowed one run on three hits over three innings. Jeremy Papelbon struck out two in a perfect ninth inning. Orta (0-1) took the loss for Wisconsin giving up six earned runs on four hits and four walks in one inning.
Players of the Game
Matt Camp (2B) & Billy Muldowney (RHP) – Camp set the tone for the entire game when he walked in the first and moved to third on an error and scored. He reached base in all five plate appearances and finishes 2-for-4 with a stolen base, run scored and RBI. Muldowney mowed down the Rattlers with a career high nine strikeouts. He went five innings and kept Wisconsin from getting back in the game.
Notes… Temperature at first pitch was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 18…Last year’s first pitch temperature between the two teams was 53 degrees…The Chiefs are now 11-14 in the 25 season openers, 5-8 on the road and 2-2 against Wisconsin…The last time the Chiefs won their opener was 2003 and the last road win on opening day was in 2000…Wisconsin used five pitchers and four of them made throwing errors…Valerio Heredia struck out in each of his first four at-bats before grounding out in the ninth…There were nine errors committed in the game, seven by Wisconsin…On Friday the Chiefs send RHP Al Alburquerque (0-0, 0.00) to the mound against RH Chris Tillman (0-0, 0.00)…Game time is 6:35…The broadcast begins with the pregame show on www.peoriachiefs.com at 6:20.
Way to go Ryno and the Chiefs!