MiLB Player of the Day: Brayden Smith, Sparks Peoria Rally

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE
Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Brayden Smith Sparks Peoria Rally
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Brayden Smith picked a good day to put himself in the middle of the Peoria offense.

Smith is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in the Chiefs’ 9-8 win over Quad Cities on Sunday afternoon at Dozer Park.

His final line:

3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R

Peoria needed every bit of offense it could find.

The Chiefs trailed 8-6 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning before scoring three times to complete the comeback. Smith was part of a 15-hit attack that included six doubles, a triple and contributions up and down the lineup.

That is the kind of game where one swing does not tell the whole story.

Smith kept finding ways to help.

He doubled twice, scored twice, drove in a run and helped keep traffic moving in a game where Peoria had to keep answering. The Chiefs scored in the second, third, fourth, seventh and eighth innings, and the late rally gave them a much-needed win after dropping Saturday’s game by one run.

José Suárez also had a big day, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Michael Dattalo added two hits and two RBIs. Cade McGee reached four times with two hits, two walks and a triple. Alex Birge added two hits, a double and an RBI. Ian Petrutz doubled and drove in two runs.

But the Player of the Day spotlight goes to Smith.

Three hits.
Two doubles.
Two runs scored.
A one-run win.

That is a strong day’s work.

Peoria has had several loud individual performances lately, and Sunday’s win was more of a full-lineup effort than a one-man show. But Smith’s three-hit game helped set the tone and helped the Chiefs climb out of an early hole.

Sometimes the best Player of the Day line is not the flashiest one.

Sometimes it is the player who keeps showing up in the middle of a rally.

That was Brayden Smith on Sunday.

Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day:
Brayden Smith, 2B, Peoria Chiefs
Final Line: 3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: Brayden Smith, Peoria Chiefs | MLB