REX top Chillicothe 7-3

FROM CHILLICOTHE:

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, were held without a baserunner for the first four innings in a 7-3 loss to the REX at Bob Warn Field Wednesday night.

REX (4-4) starter Devin Ecklar (1-0) was strong in his first start of the summer, keeping the Paints' offense - which entered the day tops in the Prospect League - without a baseball through four innings, striking out six in the process. Ecklar would end up with the win, allowing just three runs on five hits and striking out seven over six innings.

Alec Brunson led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run and Luis Hernandez did the same in the bottom of the second, giving the REX an early 2-0 lead.

Chillicothe (3-3) finally broke through in the fifth, cutting it to a 2-1 ballgame on a sacrifice fly from Josh McAlister that scored Tim Orr, who led the inning off with a double.

The REX added on the next half inning, scoring four times on five hits and one Paints error, taking a 6-1 lead.

The Paints got two back in the sixth. Cameron Bowen led off the inning with a bunt single, stealing second a couple pitches later and then to third on a single by Santrel Farmer, who later stole second. Mike Sprockett singled to right field, scoring Bowen and Farmer, cutting the REX lead to 6-3, but that's as close as the Paints would get.

A run in the bottom of the sixth made it 7-3 REX, the eventual final score.

Chillicothe is back home at VA Memorial Stadium Thursday night, hosting the Johnstown Mill Rats at 7:05 p.m. It's Thirsty Thursday and draft beer will be just $2.