A big first inning on the road was not enough for the Hoptown Hoppers Friday night. After giving up five runs in the top of the first, the Paducah Chiefs settled in and rallied to take a 9-7 win at Brooks Stadium.
The loss marked the third straight game that Hoppers’ pitching has given up at least nine runs. All three of those contests have been losses.
The night started promisingly for the Hoppers. After loading the bases with no outs in the top of the first, Hoptown ended up scoring five runs. The big blow in the inning was a bases-loaded triple from Esteban Sepulveda.
The Chiefs came right back in the bottom half of the inning with three runs of their own. The runs scored on a walk, a wild pitch, and a ground out.
Each team added a run in the fourth inning, leaving the Hoppers with a 6-4 lead.
The Chief struck twice in the bottom of the fifth to even the game up at 6-6.
Esteban Sepulveda put the Hoppers back in front with an RBI single in the top of the sixth.
Paducah led off the bottom of the 6th with a walk and a double. That set the Chiefs up to score three runs and move out to a 9-7 lead.
Hoptown would threaten in the top of the 7th, putting runners on first and second with one out. But they were not able to push across a run. The Hoppers then went down in order in the 8th and the 9th to close out the game.
Esteban Sepulveda led the Hoppers, going 2-4 with 4 RBIs and a run scored. Five other Hoppers had two hits each in the game, as Hoptown finished the night with 12 hits. The Chiefs had 13 hits for the night.
Aaditya Sur was tagged with the loss for the Hoppers. He went one inning, giving up four runs on three hits, striking out one and walking two.
Five Hoppers pitchers combined to give up 8 walks on the night.
