Paints Win Home Opener vs REX, 12-2

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by CohenOrthopedic, opened the home portion of their schedule Thursday night with a 12-2, eight-inning win over the (Terre Haute) REX in front of 4,421 fans.

Alex Caudill started for the Paints, allowing just one run on one hit, while walking two and striking out seven over five innings en-route to his first win of the season. 

Offensively, Chillicothe (2-1) got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning. The Paints took advantage of back-to-back walks to start the inning, later scoring on an single by CJ Richmond and a fielder's choice by Jackson Boles. It's the third game in a row to start the season in which the Paints have scored the first run of the game.

The Paints made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third. Michael Patellis, in his first at-bat of the summer, opened the inning with a triple, scoring on CJ Carmichael's sacrifice fly.

The REX (1-2) got on the board in the top of the fourth on a single by Emil Estrella, plating Nomar Garcia and cutting it to a 3-1 ballgame. 

Chillicothe immediately got that run back in the bottom of the inning and added one more when Alex Bemis hit his second home run of the season, a towering two-run blast over the scoreboard in left field and the Paints led 5-1.

Wally Diaz singled home Andrew Carter to get the REX within three at 5-2 in the seventh, they had the bases loaded with one out but Paints releiver Branin Seibert struck out Ben Kearns and got Ian Reagan to pop out to strand the runners. Seibert finished the game having allowed one run on five hits while walking two and striking out four over three innings, earning his first save of the season.

With runners at first and second and no outs in the bottom of the seventh, Boles bunted and beat out the throw from the REX catcher. On the play, Cam Gravelle rounded third and scored. Meanwhile Richmond went first to third and, on the way to third, drew a throw the the REX first baseman that sailed into foul territory, allowing Richmond to score and make it 7-2. Zack Henderson eventually singled home Boles to make it 8-2 and Henderson scored on Carmichael's second sacrifice fly of the day, making it 8-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Chillicothe scored three times without a hit. The Paints scored one on a double-steal, had one forced home on a bases-loaded walk and the game-ending run came home on a bases-loaded walk.

The Paints batters drew 14 walks in the game, while Caudill and Siebert combined to strike out 11 while walking only two. Chillicothe also stole nine bases in the game, including five from Jackson Boles. He joins Cam Gravelle as the second Paints player in three games to have a five stolen base game.

Chillicothe and the REX play again at VA Memorial Stadium Friday at 7:05 p.m. The first 500 fans get a free magnetic schedule, courtesy of Thomas G Brewster / Brewster Real Estate and Auction.