Article published Jun 21, 2007
Paints get Gragged again in Rockford
The Gazette Staff
For a while, it seemed the Paints would get a little revenge on John Gragg.
Jason James and Roberto Valiente made sure they didn't.
Six days after Gragg worked the Paints for a three-hit, complete-game shutout at VA, Chillicothe came out looking to get even off the Rockford left-hander, pouring four runs across in the top of the first inning.
Problem was, after that the offense dripped dry.
Chillicothe didn't score a single run after that early outburst, and a game-tying single by James set the table for Valiente's game-winning home run in the RiverHawks' four-run fifth, sending the Paints to a 6-4 loss Wednesday.
The big hits spoiled Bryan Johnson's bid for his fourth win. Well, the big hits did their part. The walks hurt too.
After the Paints put up those four runs in the top of the first, Johnson issued a one-out walk to Brad Dutton, then gave up a two-run bomb to James.
"That's something that gets under your skin," Paints coach Marty Dunn said on WXIZ radio's postgame show. "There's no defense for walks. It wasn't the number of walks (Johnson only issued three of them), but it was when the walks came that hurt us."
Another of them came in the fifth.
The four-run RiverHawks fifth that decided the game.
After that, it was all about Rockford's bullpen. Three relievers combined to go the final four innings (though Jason Bacaa did not record an out against the two batters he faced). Closer Mike Marksbury struck out four in his 12¼3 innings for his fifth save.
All of the Paints' offense came on two swings in the top of the first inning, when Jon Poterson singled home a run and Adrian Cantu followed with a three-run home run - his third longball of the year.
Then, it was all about missed chances. Chillicothe had two runners on base with less than two outs in the seventh and eighth innings, but couldn't cash in either time - mostly because of Marksbury, who worked out of a two-on, one out jam in the eighth before striking out the side in the ninth.
The Paints and RiverHawks will play today at 8:05 p.m. with the series tied at a win each. Jesse Marshall will make his pro debut for Chillicothe against Rockford's Tanner Watson (0-0, 1.80 ERA).
New guys
Speaking of pro debuts, Tim Gray worked his first professional inning in the seventh for Chillicothe, giving up a hit, a walk and striking out a batter. Also, sidearmer Marty Weisler - signed by the Paints last week - got an inning in, giving up one hit.
And, as far as firsts go, Tim Baywal got his first start of the summer Wednesday, going 0-for-2 with two walks as the Paints' DH.
The Dirt
Starter Brian Marshall saw an inning of work out of the bullpen Wednesday - not something new for the Paints, who have made a practice of using a starter out of the pen in an emergency when that pitcher is scheduled to throw on the side. Marshall will get the start Friday. ... Gragg is 2-0 in two games against the Paints, with a 2.40 ERA. Against the rest of the Frontier League, Gragg is 0-3, with a 6.65 ERA. ... Cantu finished with three RBIs, giving him more than one in a game for the first time in 10 days. ... Even with the loss, the Paints gained some ground in the East, with Washington being swept in a doubleheader by Southern Illinois. The Paints are now 11¼2 games behind the Wild Things. ... For Windy City Wednesday, reliever Isaac Hess got his seventh win (and his sixth win in as many appearances) as the Thunderbolts came back to beat Florence, 6-5. |
