Bringing a four-game win streak back to Shaffer Park for the start of a four-game homestand, the Chillicothe Mudcats defeated the Nevada Griffons on Tuesday night 8-4 to keep the streak alive. Chillicothe entered the day a half-game behind Nevada for third place in the M.I.N.K., and the victory makes it four spots the Mudcats have moved up in the standings since last week.
Max Wagers made his third start of the season on the mound for Chillicothe, and put together his best outing to date. Across 5.2 innings, none of the three runs that scored against him were earned. Nevada got the first batter of the game aboard on an error, and brought him home to take a 1-0 lead.
It took Chillicothe some time to find their footing against the Griffons starter, going down in order the first two innings. In the third, Chillicothe scored a leadoff two-base error with an Aidan Baerenklau single, Peyton Becker walked with the bases loaded to force in another run, then John Spoto singled in two more to make it 4-1.
That lead would not be relinquished. Nevada scored two runs in the top of the fifth with the help of two errors to make it 4-3. Then, Jordi Ventura mashed a home run to right field to get one of the runs back. In the sixth game this year at Shaffer Park, that was the first home run hit by either the Mudcats or the opposition.
Nevada scored another leadoff error in the seventh to bring it back to a one-run game. Chillicothe then teed off with four hits plating three runs in the seventh and eighth innings combined, extending to their largest lead of the night 8-4.
Brock Falor was brought in to close the game in the ninth, then loaded the bases with a hit and two walks. He recovered to retire the next two batters, and secure the win with a scoreless frame.
The Mudcats committed a season-high five errors in the victory. All four runs the Griffons scored were unearned to Chillicothe pitching. They have now made 29 errors through their first 11 games.
Now at five in a row, the Mudcats winning streak will face its biggest test on Wednesday when the St. Joseph Mustangs come to town. The defending champions sit in first place with a 9-1 league record, and beat Chillicothe in each of the first two meetings this year.
Winning Pitcher: Max Wagers (1-2)
Losing Pitcher: Nathan Sanchez (3-1)
Time of Game: 2:37
