After a forfeit on Monday in Clarinda due to unforeseen circumstances, the Mudcats would look to bounce back on Tuesday. They returned home after a seven game road trip, looking to get back on the winning side of things. Unfortunately, the bats were swinging for Clarinda, taking a 9-4 victory on the road. The good news: Chillicothe pitching seemed to look better than it has over the past few days. The bad news: the bats were silenced for most of the game.
After a scoreless first inning for both teams, the A’s would add three in the top of the second, to go up 3-0. LHP Kainoa Holt would get his first start of the season for the Mudcats after only coming out of the bullpen in his first few appearances. Holt would throw four quality innings, surrendering three runs off of two hits and two walks while striking out four batters. RHP Caleb Bergman would come on to relieve in the fifth, trying to keep the game close. Unfortunately, over three innings of work, Bergman would surrender three more runs off of five hits and a walk. The A’s would go into the seventh inning up 6-0.
After adding one run in the top half, the Mudcats would get on the board with a run, courtesy of First Baseman Tanner Sears, now 6-1. Clarinda would add another run, but Chillicothe would add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth off of a Ben Kasparie two RBI single, now a 7-3 ballgame. Heading into the ninth, it seemed like the Mudcats might have a shot to rally and walk it off. RHP JJ Tylicki would come in to keep the game where it is, but would surrender two runs, making it a 9-3 game. One of the runs came in off of an error by Shortstop Chris Carratala, a dropped pop up that would’ve ended the inning and only allowing one to score.
Now a six run game for the Mudcats, they would have to really get the bats moving. Second Baseman Peyton Becker, who came into the at-bat with three hits on the night, would drive in a run on a fielder’s choice groundout, making it 9-4. That would be the final run as Clarinda would take the game by that score.
A 7-13 record is something the Mudcats hate to see. A team with so much talent that is usually always one play away from getting the victory, has seen much wider margin losses in the past week. On the road trip, aside from the forfeit, Chillicothe went 4-3. Those three losses were due to thin pitching depth out of the bullpen. The bats are going to be up and down all season, but if the Mudcats can figure out the pitching depth here in the next couple of weeks heading into the All-Star Break, this team will likely find themselves near the top of the division.
NEXT GAME:
Chillicothe heads to Trenton for a home game against division rival St. Joseph. First pitch is set for 7:00 PM. RHP Layne Rutherford is slated to get the start for the Mudcats.
