CHILLICOTHE – Jonas Espinal drove in four and missed the cycle by a double Saturday, leading the Mudcats to a 9-3 win over Nevada at Shaffer Park.
Espinal crushed a solo homer in the third and added an RBI triple in the seventh but didn’t get another at-bat. He finished 4-for-4 with a walk, his best game of the summer.
The third-inning home run padded a one-run lead at the time, and the Mudcats gradually pulled away from there. Four Nevada errors played a factor again, just like Clarinda’s six did at Shaffer Park Friday night.
Tyler Bickers also had a multi-hit game for Chillicothe, going 2-for-5 with a double.
Mudcat starting pitcher Jacob Schaaf tossed five quality innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits. He has won both games he’s started in since joining the team just before the All-Star Break.
Nevada’s pitching staff, which had the worst team ERA in the MINK coming into the game, walked a combined eight Mudcat hitters, another category where they’ve consistently struggled. The Griffons forfeited four games in June due to a lack of available players, and depth continues to be an ongoing issue.
Justin Agnor, who made his first start of the season for Nevada, was charged with the loss, allowing five runs and seven hits in four innings.
The only Griffon with multiple hits was Nick Martino, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Chillicothe improves to 12-20 on the season.
The Mudcats return to Shaffer Park Sunday for a doubleheader against Carroll. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. C.T.
