Paints defeat Mill Rats for Northeast Division Championship

The Basics
Score: Chillicothe Paints 11, Johnstown Mill Rats 10
Records: Chillicothe Paints (37-20, 1-0), Champion City Kings (26-31, 0-1)
Location: VA Memorial Stadium - Chillicothe, Ohio

CHILLICOTHE, OH  – The Chillicothe Paints are headed to the Eastern Conference Championship game with an 11-10 victory over the Johnstown Mill Rats Thursday at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.

The Northeast Division Champion Chillicothe Paints will host the winner of the Central Division Championship between the Danville Dans and REX in the Eastern Conference Championship on Saturday. 

Chillicothe got on the board first, scoring three runs off an RBI single by Cameron Bowen. Then a misplay in left field by the Mill Rats allowed two extra runners to score, making it 3-0 Paints.

After an almost-hour lightning delay in the bottom of the 3rd, the Mill Rats came alive in the top of the 4th. The Mill Rats scored nine runs with two outs on four hits, four walks, and two hit batters. Logan Myers drove home two with a single and Landon Meyer capped the inning with a bases-clearing three-run triple, giving the Mill Rats a 9-3 lead.

The Paints got 2 runs back in the bottom of the 4th, scoring on Eric Colaco's two-out, two-run single, cutting the Mill Rats lead to 9-5.

Johnstown got one back in the top of the 5th on a Dom Krupinski groundout to score Taylor Freeman, and the game would sit at a 10-5 Mill Rats lead until the bottom of the 7th.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Paints found their comeback. Cole Raile was hit by the pitch, Cameron Bowen singled, and Felix Polanco was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Clay Burdette doubled in 2 runs, Ken Hemmer grabbed an RBI groundout, Ty Hatfield singled one home, and Colaco tripled home the last, tying the game at 10-10. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Raile walked with one out, promptly stealing second and third. He scored on a two-out RBI double from Polanco, putting the Paints ahead 11-10.

Will Rettig, who entered the game in the 6th for the Paints, finished off his outing with a 1-2-3 ninth, earning his sixth win of the season and finishing with 5 strikeouts and just 1 hit across 4 innings.

Turning Point
The game changed when Will Rettig entered for the Paints. Rettig silenced the Mill Rats' bats and allowed the Paints to find a comeback on offense. As the first three pitchers for the Paints allowed 10 runs on 4 hits and 7 walks with just 6 strikeouts, Rettig struck out 5 himself only allowing just 2 base runners. 

Inside The Box Score

• Mac Yarbrough took the loss for the Mill Rats, his first of the season, allowing the go-ahead run in the 8th.

• Both starters have up 3 runs and didn't reach more than 4 innings, but both received a no-decision.

• The Paints outhit the Mill Rats 12-6 but surrendered 4 more walks on the mound.

• The Mill Rats recorded 5 errors in the game, while the Paints went errorless.

Notes

• This is the Paints' 7th Division Championship and their third straight year winning the Prospect League's easternmost division.

• The Paints continue their quest for their third straight Prospect League Championship and a Prospect League record 5th title and 7th championship appearance. 

• The Mill Rats are now 0-2 in the playoffs across four seasons in the Prospect League, losing both times to the Paints in Chillicothe.

Up Next
Chillicothe advances to Saturday's Conference Championship round and will face the winner of tonight's Central Division Championship between the Dans and REX. The Eastern Conference Championship game is set for 7:05 PM (ET) on Saturday and will be hosted by Paints at VA Memorial Stadium.