The West Virginia Miners have been known this season to have high-scoring games, and Sunday night’s game was no different.
The Miners couldn’t avenge their loss in Saturday’s game to the Johnstown Mill Rats at the Linda K. Epling Stadium, losing 16-13 Sunday.
The night started well for the Miners as the Mill Rats went scoreless in the top of the first, while the Miners scored four. The first run was led off an RBI double from center fielder Isaiah Ortega-Jones to send Miners newcomer Brandon Galindo home.
Wanting to keep the ball rolling, the host team slammed two more RBI doubles before the first inning came to a close.
While the host team did well defensively in the first, they quickly fell apart in the top of the second. The Rats first batter was quickly struck out by Thomas Braybrooks, followed by a series of throws that would advance the next two at base.
The Rats would get their first run off an error by Braybrooks to first base. The Miners tried to limit the damage done but committed another error to shorten their lead by two.
Jones and the rest of the offense wouldn’t let the Rats sit comfortably, blasting through the bottom of the second. Jones notched his second RBI double of the night to send third baseman Kenneth Melendez home.
Next up to bat was catcher Straton Podaras who gave the Miners their second run of the inning off an RBI single. The Rats finally cooled down the host team by notching three straight outs and stranding two on base, but not after widening the lead 7-2.
Mill Rats designated hitter Ben Newbert proved they would not go down easy, smashing a home run to score two in the top of the third. Thankfully for the Miners, this is all the Rats would get done this inning. Braybrooks stranded one batter on base to give the Miners offense another chance to push through the competition.
The hot streak the Miners were riding ended in the bottom of the third. Johnstown forced three flyouts to keep West Virginia off the bases.
The Rats wouldn’t get any better luck in the top of the fourth. The host team notched two flyouts and one strikeout to also not let any players on base.
The bottom of the fourth proved to be a turning point in bad luck for the Miners. The host team helped clinch their lead getting the bases loaded early. The first run came on an RBI walk, then the next three off of an incredible RBI triple from shortstop Jake Reifsnyder. Melendez gave no mercy in their pull-away lead, ripping the ball down the line for an RBI double to send Reifsnyder home. Jones would gain another RBI single to contribute the last run of the inning, pushing their huge lead 14-3.
Braybrooks had a great game but had to sit out during the top of the fifth due to the 95 pitch count. He ended the night striking out six batters and leaving at least one player on base every inning but one. Colby Cooke came in to replace him, but was given a tough part of the inning to start. The Rats already had three runs, two off of another home run, with only one out. Cooke wouldn’t let the pressure get to him though, striking out the next two batters at the plate.
The Rats offense stepped up in the top of the sixth. First baseman Nick Hess led off his second home run of the game after shortstop Trey Lipscomb notched an RBI double to cut the lead even more. The host team would finally get a break, but not after the Rats closed the gap by making it 13-12.
The Miners couldn’t find any comeback in the bottom of the sixth, only having one base before the Rats notched three outs.
Johnstown would keep their push for the victory going in the top of the seventh. They recorded two quick outs but came back with an RBI triple to tie the game. Cooke’s struggle to find the strike zone contributed to the Miners seventh inning woes. He threw a wild pitch to allow another run for the Rats, their first lead of the night. Cooke threw two more wild pitches in a row to give one more run in the inning.
Miners team management had seen enough, putting in Austyn Coleman.
The bad luck would continue to stop the Miners, as nobody reached base in the seventh inning.
The rest of the game proved to be a formality. The Miners’ efforts to gain their lead failed, not getting any more runs the rest of the game. Johnstown clinched one more run to end the game 16-13.
The Miners will return to action Tuesday at Champion City. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
