Todd Golden
Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
The formula for extra innings for the Terre Haute Rex is simple. If the day ends in a “y” you have a good chance to see free baseball at Bob Warn Field.
Tuesday’s game against Nashville was no exception. The Outlaws forced extra innings with a two-run ninth inning and the game was decided in the 13th when Nashville broke through for an 11-9 victory in a game that lasted 4 hours, 41 minutes and which ended at nearly midnight.
It was the eighth extra inning game played by the Rex at Bob Warn Field this season.
The loss hurt the Rex in the Prospect League Central Division race. The Outlaws, who recently passed Richmond for second place, pulled to within two games of Terre Haute. The Central Division second-half champion earns a playoff berth.
Regulation baseball featured three lead changes in two ties. The Rex led 2-0 after the first. Chris Carlson doubled home Kyle Burnam and Carlson scored on a double play groundout.
Nashville took a 4-2 lead in a forgettable inning for Rex starter Michael Hachadorian. He hit three batters — two with the bases loaded — and walked two other Outlaws. A two-run double by Josh Dove made the Rex pay for Hachadorian’s control problems.
Terre Haute tied the game in the third. An Alex Guthrie double set in motion a two-run inning where Nolan Earley scored on a groundout and Guthrie scored on an error by Nashville catcher Drew Fann when Fann tried to pick Guthrie off third base.
The tie didn’t last as Nashville scored three in the fourth. Run scoring doubles by Matt Borgschulte and Johnny Amann put Nashville back in front 6-4 and a wild pitch with Amann on third made it 7-4.
Terre Haute whittled away at Nashville’s lead. A RBI double by Carlson in the fourth made it 7-5 and after Koby Kraemer led off the sixth with a triple, he was knocked in by Jared Broughton to make it 7-6.
The big Rex inning came in the seventh. Four of the first five Rex batters singled, including a RBI single by Kraemer that tied the game. Ray Hernandez broke the tie on a fielder’s choice and Burnam knocked in another run with a single to make it 9-7.
Rex reliever Tyler Browning was called upon to get the save in the ninth, but Nashville led off the inning with a pair of singles to drive Browning out of the game. Ryne Purcell was asked to get the Rex out of the jam. Nashville got within a run on a groundout and Doug Joyce’s pinch-hit single up the middle tied the game.
The Rex nearly ended the game in the 10th. With two outs, Braden Kline drew a walk and Guthrie singled to right. Joe Meggs hit a 3-1 pitch to left for a single just past the dive of Nashville shortstop Sam Dove. Nashville left fielder Jared Fancher had time to load up and made a perfect throw to the plate to nail Kline by a step.
The Rex loaded the bases in the 11th as all three runners reached with two outs, but Earley struck out to squelch the threat.
The Rex had runners at first and second in the 12th, this time with no outs, but Nashville reliever Lee Thompson set the Rex down in order after that to force another inning.
Nashville, which hadn’t mustered any similar scoring opportunities in extra frames, broke through in the 13th against Rex reliever Clayton Hicks. Kevin Smith lined a one-out double to right, scoring pinch-runner Andrew Brouillette to make it 10-9. A RBI single by Fancher added a Nashville insurance run.
The Rex have a day off today and will host Nashville again on Thursday.
