08/18/2007

Garcia powers Paints past Bums, 4-3

Chillicothe holds TC to seven hits in 13 innings

FROM STAFF REPORTS

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Travis Garcia hit three home runs and drove in all four Chillicothe runs, including the game-winning walk-off homer to right field in the 13th inning of a 4-3 Paints win over Traverse City.

Garcia homered in the fourth, sixth and 13th innings.

The Beach Bums took a 1-0 lead early on a Jeff Brown homer to right in the third inning before Garcia's two-run shot in the fourth.

Traverse City forced the game into extra innings with two runs in the seventh frame, as Zach Kalter's single plated Curtis Ledbetter and Sam Orr.

Tom Thornton started for TC, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out five in five innings. Brett Bostelman and Nick Pepper combined for three scoreless innings of relief before Jeremy Dow (2-3) came on in the ninth and ended up going 4.1 innings. Dow struck out five, and Garcia's game-winning homer was the only hit he gave up.

Paints starter Perry Cunningham gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings before giving way to Ryan Flanigan (8-2), who went six hitless innings in relief to earn the win, striking out three.

Aaron Garza was 1-for-4, ending his streak of four straight games with a homer. No TC player had more than one hit as the Paints pitchers limited Traverse City to seven base hits.