Prior to Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to the Carroll Merchants, the Chillicothe Mudcats had won 10 of their last 12 games, and were a season-best four games over .500. The Merchants, who upset St. Joseph on Friday, knocked off the Mudcats at Shaffer Park for their fourth straight win.
With Max Wagers dealing on the mound in his fifth start for Chillicothe, the Mudcats took the lead first with two runs in the third inning. Jarian Pinckney collected the second of his three singles, and after stealing second base was driven in on a Jordi Ventura double. The next batter was Brock Falor, who singled in Ventura to make it 2-0.
Wagers did not allow a run during his six-inning outing, with Carroll mustering just four hits against him. The Merchants left two men in scoring position in the second, and in the sixth inning stranded a runner on second base, but that was as close as they would get.
The Mudcats went to their bullpen in the seventh, calling on Nick Tampa to preserve the two-run lead. Surrendering four hits and two walks, Tampa retired one of the seven batters he faced, and departed with Chillicothe trailing 4-2.
Suddenly looking for a comeback, Chillicothe grounded into a double play to end a scoring chance in the seventh, and stranded a runner on second with a pinch hitting Ethan Murakoshi in the eighth inning.
Using two more pinch hitters in the ninth, the Mudcats loaded the bases down to their final out. A strikeout by Ventura ended the game, raising Chillicothe’s left-on-base total for the night to 10.
Carroll only needed to use two pitchers in their win, getting eight innings from their starter Derek Carson. He had not thrown more than five frames in any prior appearance, but scattered seven hits for just two runs on Saturday.
The Mudcats will stay at home Sunday, facing the Clarinda A’s for a double header. Chillicothe will begin the day 3.5 games behind Clarinda for second place in the M.I.N.K.
Winning Pitcher: Derek Carson (1-2)
Losing Pitcher: Nick Tampa (1-1)
Save: Eddie Moore Jr. (1)
Time of Game: 2:24
