Paints End Skid, Beat Mill Rats 5-4

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 5-4 win over the Johnstown Mill Rats Sunday night at VA Memorial Stadium.

Johnstown (10-14) took the early lead. Joe Alcorn led the game off with a double, scoring on a wild pitch, putting the Mill Rats up 1-0.

Chillicothe (16-9) answered in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded on two walks and a hit batter, Mike Sprockett hit into an RBI fielder's choice, tying the game at 1-1. Nate Dorinsky singled with two outs, scoring Tim Orr, giving the Paints their first lead at 2-1 after one inning.

Johnstown started the second inning with a leadoff walk by Randy Carlo IV, then Jake Casey hit a two-run home run, putting the Mill Rats back up at 3-2.

Again, the Paints answered in the bottom half of the inning. Cameron Bowen reached on an infield hit, later stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Santrel Farmer then walked, steal second moments later. Another wild pitch brought home Bowen, and a third wild pitch in the inning scored Farmer, making it 4-3 Chillicothe.

Johnstown struck back in the top of the sixth inning after the leadoff hitter, Lukas Torres, singled and came around to score on another wild pitch, tying the game at 4-4. 

In the bottom half of the eighth, the Paints took the lead on a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk by Connor Ashby, pushing Chillicothe ahead for good at 5-4.

Sebastian Escobar started for Chillicothe, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out eight over six innings. Brett Carson (1-0), who started the game as the designated hitter and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth, finished as the winning pitcher, throwing the final three innings, allowing just one baserunner on a walk and striking out five, including all three Mill Rats he faces in the ninth.

The Paints are off Monday, they host the West Virginia Miners at 7:05 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium Tuesday on Senior Citizen Night, sponsored by Adena Health System. It's also Scout Night and the reschduled Ross County Sheriff's D.A.R.E. Night and School's Out Party. Advance tickets are available at ChillicothePaints.com.