CHILLICOTHE – Des Moines tossed a combined two-hitter in game one, but the bullpen faltered late in game two, and the Mudcats scraped together a three-run seventh and walked off on a Jonas Espinal sacrifice fly to split the doubleheader at Shaffer Park Thursday.
In game one, Peak Prospect pitching dominated throughout, with Jonah Walker and Mike Bonner keeping Chillicothe hitless until the seventh inning. A leadoff single from Jonas Espinal in the seventh broke up the no-no, and the only Mudcat run came two batters later on an RBI single from Justin Sanchez.
A bases-loaded walk in the third inning from Mudcat hurler Jake Young, who tossed a six-inning complete game, came directly before a sacrifice fly from Cole Yearsley, and that’s all Des Moines would need to take the first game 3-1.
In game two, the Mudcats put together a bullpen effort from their pitching staff, with four different guys chipping in over seven innings of work.
Peak Prospect starter Trey Castille was sparkling through the first five innings, where he had already fanned nine Mudcats. But a rally was about to ensue.
Chillicothe’s offense was hitless again until the bottom of the sixth when Tyler Bickers pulled a line drive into left field to break up the no-hit bid again, this time with just four outs to spare. Tanner Sears, the next hitter, poked one into the gap and got the Mudcats to within two at 3-1.
Castille gave up back-to-back singles to start the seventh, and Des Moines entered Hayden Hanson for the save. Hanson struck out Austin Wright, but then didn’t record another out until it was too late.
After two singles from Elijah Maris and Braedyn Brewer, their only hits in either game, Hanson threw a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position. Jonas Espinal finished it off with a fly ball to center field, Maris trotted home to score the winning run, and the Mudcats stole game two 4-3.
Chillicothe moves to 9-13 overall on the season.
The Mudcats return to Shaffer Park Saturday for a tangle with the Nevada Griffons. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. C.T.
