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Mudcats Scrape by with Two Hits in First M.I.N.K. Win

The first win of league play for the Chillicothe Mudcats in 2025 finally came on Thursday night in Sedalia, as they pulled out a 4-3 nail-biting victory against the Bombers. The Mudcats accomplished the feat with just two hits, including the game-winning home run from Peyton Becker in the eighth inning.

 

Almost all of Chillicothe’s offense came in the top of the first. After two walks to Becker and John Spoto, Jordi Ventura smoked a double down the right field line to drive them both in. After getting to third, Ventura bluffed a tag on a fly ball, but the throw back into third base got away and allowed Ventura to score the third run.

 

That spotted an early lead to the Mudcats opening day starting pitcher Koby Linder, who had not pitched since May 30. Through his first four innings on Thursday, he stranded six Bombers on base. Sedalia brought one run in on a two-out single in the second inning, but that was it until the fifth.

 

Linder started the fifth inning, but surrendered hits to three of the four batters he faced before being removed. Brady Graskewicz was brought in to protect the 3-2 lead, and retired both batters he faced. Linder finished with a no decision, going 4.1 innings, allowing just two runs on six hits and four walks.

 

After their three-run first, the Mudcats went six innings without tallying a single hit. That left it up to the Chillicothe bullpen, who delivered. Graskewiscz was taken out with two on and two out in the sixth, for Johanno Perdomo. He balked to move both the Bombers to second and third base, before Sedalia drove a ball to deep left field. In front of the short outfield wall at Liberty Park Stadium, Ziah Chang reached his glove over the wall to make the catch that ended the inning.

 

Perdomo looked to have held off the Bombers in the seventh as well, getting an infield popup with two out. The Mudcats shortstop and second baseman came together behind second base, and the ball fell out of the shortstop’s glove to score the runner from second base. That tied the game 3-3 going into the eighth.

 

Chillicothe second baseman Peyton Becker was the first man to bat in the frame, and sent a ball over the left field wall for his first home run of the season to put the Mudcats back on top 4-3. The home run was just their second hit of the game, and their first since the first inning.

 

Ryotara Hirayama pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth, setting up fifth-year Mudcat Tanner Sears to try and close it out in the ninth. He came in from playing first base, and pitched with a fire lit under him. He struck out the first two batters with an overpowering fastball and sharp breaking balls. Sears forced a weak ground ball from the next batter, which was botched at second to allow him to reach.

 

The potential tying run stole second, and then tried to go for third. Chillicothe had Bruce Boucher behind the plate in the ninth, after their starting catcher was pinch hit for the inning prior. Boucher threw out the runner at third to win the game.

 

It was one of the more improbable wins you will find. Chillicothe made three costly errors in the field. Their pitching allowed eight hits and seven walks. The offense produced just two hits. Yet the right plays were made at the right time, and it lifts the Mudcats to 1-5 in league play. They will play the Bombers again Friday night, this time at Shaffer Park.

 

Winning Pitcher: Johanno Perdomo (1-0)

Losing Pitcher: Dawson Torpey (0-1)

Save: Tanner Sears (1)

Time of Game: 2:30