Marshall allowed only two hits in six innings, but gave up 10 free runners - the eight walks plus two hit batsmen. On top of that, John Torres's first-inning error led to Windy City's three-run start to the game.
And then, of course, was the continuing problem of stranding runners in scoring position, especially late in the game.
"I felt like tonight we had more bite in us offensively - we out-hit them 5-2," Paints coach Marty Dunn said on WXIZ radio's postgame show. "But we couldn't get the (right) guy there when the situation called for it."
Of the nine runners the Paints left on base Saturday, five of them were in scoring position. Chillicothe went a collective 0-for-10 with a runner a base hit away from crossing the plate.
And most of that was because of the 13 strikeouts recorded by ThunderBolts pitchers - including an astonishing six (out of the seven batters he faced) by Windy City's Anthony Rebyanski.
"That's the frustrating part," Dunn said. "We've got to find a way to put the ball in play. When you strike out, you have no chance to advance the runner. Thirteen strikeouts - that cut us down."
It was Chillicothe's fourth straight loss and their 12th in 15 games on the road this year. The only upside is that, even with Aaron Ledbetter on the mound in Washington, the Wild Things fell to Evansville, leaving Chillicothe 31¼2 games off the pace in the East. The Paints have one more game on the road before Monday's offday, then the team will have a brief two-game home series against Florence.
Marshall's control problems started early Saturday when he walked Rob Marconi to lead off the bottom of the first.
The only big hit he gave up all day was two outs later, when Scott Billak's double drove in Mike Coles - who walked. On the play, Torres's error allowed Wes Long to score and gave Windy City a 2-0 lead.
Then Josh Horn walked.
Then John McCarthy was hit by a pitch.
Then Gavin Concepcion walked, pushing home the ThunderBolts' third run.
It was all they needed.
Windy City starter Brock Hunton only lasted 52¼3 innings, allowing a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI grounder by Paul Rutgers. But that inning was the start of the Paints' offensive troubles - the same ones that have plagued the team throughout its four-game skid.
Chillicothe had the bases loaded with two outs, but left them that way when Dustin Richardson grounded harmlessly to short.
Ditto the eighth. Travis Garcia led off with a double and went to third on a passed ball - meaning the Paints needed a simple sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game. But Rebyanski came right back to strike out Jon Poterson, Travis Storrer and Richardson.
Today's game in the Chicago suburb is an early one, with a 4:05 p.m. start. Bryan Johnson (3-1, 6.15) is scheduled to pitch against the ThunderBolts' Eric Fussell (2-0, 4.37).
The Dirt
Adrian Cantu got his first night off of the season Saturday, making only a ninth-inning pinch-hit appearance. He singled off closer Matt Petty but was stranded at first. ... The Paints have stranded 38 runners during the four-game drought.