Paints Erase Six-Run Deficit, Defeat Illinois Valley 13-9

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by CohenOrthopedic, hit back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning as part of their first comeback with of the season, defeating Illinois Valley 13-9 at VA Memorial Stadium Wednesday.

Chillicothew (7-6) scored first, Mason McManus singled with two outs in the first, scoring Zack Henderson and making it 1-0. The two-out hits would become a theme.

Illinois Valley (5-7) took its first lead in the top of the third, James Love drove home the first two with a single and Brandon Mahler knocked home the third of the inning and it was 3-1 Pistol Shrimp.

The Paints immediately answered, tying the game in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Stone brought home CJ Carmichael on a groundout and Michael Patellis singled with two outs, scoring Alex Bemins and knotting the game at 3-3. 

After the back-to-back walks to start the inning put runners on for the Shrimp in the top of the fourth, Branin Siebert struck out the next two batters and appeared to get an inning-ending ground out. Instead, the throw to first was low and was unable to be caught on the short hop, allowing the inning to continue and for two runs to score. After a hit-by-pitch, Mahler hit a three-run home run, capping a five-run inning, all unearned, and giving the Pistol Shrimp their second lead at 8-3. 

They made it 9-3 on Aamir Mitchell's solo home run in the fifth, but Chillicothe would score the final ten runs of the ballgame.

With two outs in the fifth, Mitchel Szymczak singled home Tyler Stone, cutting the Illinois Valley lead to 9-4. The Paints got two more back in the sixth on a Bemis sacrifice fly and a two-out single from Tyler Stone, getting the Paints within three at 9-6.

In the bottom of the seventh, with two out and two on, Bemis homered off the scoreboard in left, tying the game at 9-9. On the next pitch, McManus homered to nearly the same spot, putting the Paints ahead 10-9. Szymczak followed three batters later with an RBI single, making it 11-9.

With two outs in the eighth, CJ Richmond doubled home Justin Gorski and Bemis singled home Richmond, making it 13-9, the eventual final. 

Chillicothe releiver Will Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win, allowing one run on two hits while walking one and striking out two over three innings of work. 

Bemis went 3-for-4 with the first five-RBI game for a Paints player this season. Gorski also collected three hits, going 3-for-5 and scoring two runs. Henderson (2-for-5), McManus (2-fo-5, two RBIs), Stone (2-for-3, two RBIs), and Szymczak (2-for-5, two RBIs) all collected two hits. 

The Paints collected a season-high 16 hits, including a season-high five extra-base hits with two home runs and three doubles. 

Chillicothe is home again Thursday for a 5:05 p.m. doubleheader against the Thrillville Thrillbillies. It's Thirsty Thursday with $2 domestic drafts. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting tickets.chillicothepaints.com or in person at the stadium box office beginning at 4:05 p.m.