STAFF REPORT
The Tribune-Star
Chillicothe, Ohio —
The Terre Haute Rex maintained at least a tie for first place in Prospect League baseball’s West Division on Thursday, getting a huge night from Koby Kraemer in a 9-5 win over the Chillicothe Paints.
Kraemer had two triples and his seventh homer of the summer, driving in five of Terre Haute’s runs. He was also intentionally walked to help set up a three-run eighth-inning rally.
Daniel Heefner was the winning pitcher, allowing just four hits in seven innings. Chillicothe’s Brad Clement touched him for a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh inning that cut the lead to 3-2, but the Rex scored three times in each of the last two innings to pull away.
Heefner’s toughest inning was the first, when he gave up a hit and two walks and allowed the home team’s first run to score on a wild pitch.
Kraemer’s two-run homer following a Chillicothe error put Terre Haute ahead in the top of the fourth, however, and the Rex added another run in the sixth on a single by Nick Johnson and Kraemer’s first triple.
After a hit and stolen base by Joe Meggs and an infield hit by Johnson in the top of the eighth, the Paints elected to walk Kraemer intentionally. But Brett Teschner hit a sacrifice fly and John Loeffler a two-run double. The margin reached 9-2 in the top of the ninth on a hit by Chris Manning, a hit batter, Kraemer’s two-run triple and an error that allowed Kraemer to score.
The Rex, 12-7 in the second-half standings, play today at Richmond. Both the Rex and the River Rats then come to Terre Haute for a Rex home game at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
Terre Haute 000 201 033 — 9 11 0
Chillicothe 100 000 103 — 5 6 4
Heefner, Fisk (8), Vestring (9), Schroeder (9) and Teschner; Schulz, Fathalikhani (8), Snieder (9) and Solomon. W — Heefner. L — Schulz. HR — TH: Kraemer (7); C: Clement (3).
Highlights — For the Rex, Koby Kramer was 3 for 4 with 2 triples, a homer, 3 runs and 5 RBIs; John Loeffler was 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBIs; Nick Johnson was 2 for 4 with 3 runs; and Joe Meggs was 2 for 4 with 3 stolen bases.
Next — The Rex (12-7) play at Richmond today and host Richmond at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
