Rockets rally in opener

A couple errors helped the Chiefs to five runs in first three innings.

Portland’s bats needed six frames just to get three of those back.

After the stretch, it was all the home team.

Patrick Mills hit a two-run, game-tying single in the seventh inning and Justin Greene later followed with a bases-clearing double as the Portland Rockets rallied for seven runs in the frame on their way to a 13-6 victory against the Muncie Chiefs on Tuesday at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field.

“We have seen it before, a good ol’ Rocket rally and we had one,” said Portland manager Randy Miller, whose Rocket team hosts the Mishawaka Brewers for a doubleheader Saturday and the Fort Wayne Panthers for two on Sunday. Both twinbills are set for 1 p.m.

“When the chips get down we’re going to put up a little merry-go-round, put some crooked numbers on the board,” Miller said. “Hitting can be contagious.”

The contagiousness of hitting was on full display in the sixth and seventh innings for Portland (1-0). Trailing 5-2, Portland began the sixth frame with four consecutive singles by Zach Tanner, Patrick Mills, Geoff Bowers and Chase Ruiz. Tanner went first-to-third on Mills’ hit through the right side, but was later thrown out at home attempting to score on a wild pitch.

Ruiz’s opposite-field liner to left scored Mills to make it 5-3. It was the second of Ruiz’s three hits on the day, and the first of his three RBIs.

An inning later the Rocket rally was all but complete. Corbin Maddox, a Daleville product, got hit by a pitch from high school teammate Peyton Smith to lead off the frame, then Caleb Mealy and Kasey Henderson both walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Mills ripped a 2-2 pitch to right field to tie the game.

Mills finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a solo home run in the second inning of his Rocket debut.

“I was just looking for a middle-in fastball and that’s exactly what he threw,” Mills said. “I was ready to hit it.”

The blast to right field released jitters for the 20-year-old Western graduate and IU-Kokomo Cougar.

“After my first at-bat I was feeing just fine,” he said. “I think I’ll enjoy it here. I think I’m going to like playing here.”

Bowers followed Mills with his second hit and RBI of the night to give Portland its lead, and Ruiz hit into a fielder’s choice.

Greene, who did not have a hit in three prior trips to the plate, hit a rocket down the right field line to score Mills, Bowers and Ruiz. He stuttered rounding second base and was cut down trying to extend his double into a triple.

Portland, which had a lineup of 10 players, sent 11 to the frame and capped the scoring with an RBI from Carsten White to make it 10-5.

“Putting up seven runs really boosted us for the rest of the game,” Mills said.

Mealy ended 3-for-3 and Bowers was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Muncie (0-3) scored three runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by a Cam Pratt RBI double and an RBI single from Josh Price. A wild pitch and an RBI ground-rule double gave the Chiefs two more runs in the third for their 5-1 lead, which was aided by a pair of Portland errors, causing only one of the five runs charged to Jay County graduate Chandler Jacks as earned.

Portland’s relievers, however, kept the Chiefs at bay when Jacks’ day was done after three innings.

Mitch Waters fanned two in one inning, and Pavel Strain gave up two hits and struck out four in two innings. Cameron Gwin, making his Portland pitching debut, had two punchouts in two frames of hitless ball, and picked up the win in relief. Strain and Gwin combined to retire 10 straight Chiefs.

Ian Schilling gave up one run on two hits but struck out two in the ninth, as all five Rocket pitchers had at least two strikeouts and combined for 13 total.

“We can use them and know that they’ll throw strikes,” Miller said of his barrage of arms. “Pitchers, if you can pitch, you go.

“They showed their wares.”