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Prospect League Baseball
Paints Win Third Straight, Beat Mill Rats 7-2

Paints Win Third Straight, Beat Mill Rats 7-2

(Ben Gbur celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run. Photo by Cory Hall)

From the Chillicothe Paints:

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, used a four-run sixth inning to propel them to a 7-2 win over the Johnstown Mill Rats Saturday night at VA Memorial Stadium.

The Paints (20-10) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after a two-out, bases-loaded single by Mike Sprockett. 

Chillicothe held the Mill Rats (11-17) scoreless until the top of the fifth inning, when a two-run double off the bat of Mackenzee Higuchi tied the game at 2-2.

The Paints would respond in the bottom half of the inning when Tim Orr doubled home Owen Wilson, making it 3-2 Chillicothe. 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, with Jeron Williams on first as result of a walk, Ben Gbur sent a no-doubter over the left-field wall, giving the Paints a 5-2 lead. Cameron Bowen later scored on a wild pitch, extending their lead to 6-2. Tim Orr got another RBI when he lined a ball off the glove of the first baseman, making it 7-2.

Dylan Taliaferro (3-1) would leave the game after six innings of work, giving up two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out five. Jake Norris entered the game in the seventh in relief and shut the Mill Rats down, striking out two and giving up no runs to earn his second save of the season and securing the 7-2 victory. 

The Paints return to action tomorrow night at 6:05 where they will face off against the Lafayette Aviators at VA Memorial Stadium. Kids 12 and under receive free admission to the game on Subway Kids Day!

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From the Johnstown Mill Rats:

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The Chillicothe Paints had an answer, and then some, for the lone offensive push the Johnstown Mill Rats gave in Saturday's Prospect League matchup, as the Paints used five unanswered runs to cruise to a 7-2 victory.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Chillicothe took the lead on an RBI double by Tim Orr. The Paints then scored four additional runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach.

Ben Gbur hit a two-run home run over the left field wall, Cameron Bowen scored on a wild pitch and Orr added another run-scoring knock that brought home Owen Wilson that set the eventual final.

Jake Norris earned his second save for the Paints after throwing three shutout innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Paints starter Dylan Taliaferro claimed the win after allowing two runs on five hits over six innings, while improving his record to 3-1.

Matthew Benton was tagged with the loss for the Mill Rats after surrendering three runs on seven hits over five innings. His record stands at 1-1.

Six different players for the Mill Rats recorded one hit. Mack Higuchi drove in both Johnstown runs after hitting a game-tying two-run double in the fifth before the Paints' rally. Sam Mast and Matt Santarelli each scored a run.

Johnstown (11-17) visits West Virginia on Sunday afternoon for a doubleheader, with Game 1 set to begin at 2:05 p.m.