REX Storm Back to Top Chillicothe with Offensive Outburst

First Baseman Wally Diaz

After a rough run-rule loss the night before, REX bounced back in a big way on Friday night in Chillicothe, rallying from an early deficit to knock off the Paints with an explosive 12–4 win.

REX got on the board first in the top of the first inning. Emil Estrella drove in Nomar Garcia with an RBI single to center to give the visitors a quick 1–0 lead.

But Chillicothe responded in the bottom half. CJ Richmond scored on an RBI double from Nate Hill to tie the game 1–1. In the third, Richmond struck again with a two-run triple to right-center field, followed by another RBI single from Hill to give the Paints a 4–1 advantage.

That would be the last time Chillicothe led the game.

REX starting pitcher Samuel Guadamuz held things steady from there. The right-hander went six innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out five, keeping the Paints off the scoreboard after the third inning and giving the offense time to wake up.

In the top of the sixth, the comeback began. Carder Reich scored on a wild pitch with Eli Riley at the plate to trim the deficit to 4–2.

Then came the seventh—and the momentum fully shifted. Wally Diaz crushed his second home run in as many nights, a two-run blast that tied the game 4–4. Later in the inning, Riley came through with a clutch RBI single to right, scoring Reich and giving REX a 5–4 lead.

The offense wasn’t done.

In the top of the eighth, Ben Jones—who was electric all night—delivered a two-RBI single to center, scoring Estrella and Felix Polanco to stretch the lead to 7–4. Moments later, Diaz launched his second homer of the game, a no-doubt two-run shot that plated Jones and gave REX a commanding 9–4 advantage.

And in the ninth, REX slammed the door. Polanco added the exclamation point with a towering three-run homer to left—his first of the season—scoring Garcia and Jeremi Lara to make it a 12–4 final.

Jones finished 4-for-6 at the plate, scoring two runs and driving in two RBIs, while Diaz collected four RBIs on two home runs. Polanco added three RBIs and scored twice in a dominant night for the offense.

With the win, REX improves to 2–2, while Chillicothe falls to 2–2 on the young season.

REX travel to take on the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes on May 31st at 6:30 CDT, 7:30 EDT.