By John Bohnenkamp
A look at the three-game series between the Burlington Bees and the Peoria Chiefs.
SERIES FACTS
Game times: 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Monday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Community Field
Second-half records: Bees 4-11, Chiefs 3-12
Overall records: Bees 43-42, Chiefs 33-51
Season series: Bees lead, 6-3
TEAM COMPARISONS
Last 10: Bees 2-8, Chiefs 1-9
Home vs. road: Bees 25-19 at home, Chiefs 14-24 on road
Run differential: Bees minus-8, Chiefs minus-73
Extra innings: Bees 7-3, Chiefs 2-5
One-run games: Bees 21-14, Chiefs 9-15
HEAD TO HEAD
Batting average: Bees .232, Chiefs .216
ERA: Bees 2.96, Chiefs 3.99
WHAT TO WATCH
A battle of two teams that are struggling in the second half. The Chiefs have lost their last six games, the Bees have lost their last four.
The Bees have controlled the season series, leading 6-3. But Peoria took 2-of-3 from the Bees in the final series of the first half, keeping Burlington from clinching the second playoff spot in the Midwest League’s Western Division.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bees outfielder Spencer Griffin and infielder Alvaro Rubalcaba have thrived against Peoria pitching. Griffin is batting .440 with a 1.163 OPS against the Chiefs, while Rubalcaba is hitting .353 with a 1.029 OPS. Griffin has 11 hits against the Chiefs.
Hector Yan, Saturday’s starting pitcher for the Bees, is 1-0 and hasn’t allowed an earned run in nine innings against the Chiefs. Reliever Tyler Smith is 2-0 with a save in four appearances against Peoria.
Peoria infielder Josh Shaw and outfielder Bryce Denton are each batting .300 against the Bees. Outfielder Brandon Benson has two home runs and a 1.020 OPS against the Bees.
Photo: Bees infielder Alvaro Rubalcaba has a .353 batting average against the Peoria Chiefs this season. Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees
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