Chillicothe Paints lock down playoff spot and extend win streak with rout of REX Baseball

CHILLICOTHE − Tim Orr has come up clutch for the Chillicothe Paints over the past five days. On Monday night, he hit a walk-off grand slam to extend their winning streak to six games. In the next game, he hit a triple in the bottom of the ninth inning and later scored the winning run off of a sacrifice fly by Nate Dorinsky.

On Friday night, Orr repeated his motions from Tuesday's win almost beat-for-beat. With the bases loaded, Orr hit a long ball into the gap between right and center field and drove in three runs before coming to a halt at third base. He even hit the ball close to where it had landed in Tuesday night's win.

He even scored the winning run again. Victor Figueroa singled on the next at-bat and drive Orr home to lock down an 11-1 win for the Paints over REX Baseball in just seven innings.

"He left me a fastball right down the middle and I shot the gap with it," Orr said. "I was happy with it, and I was glad Vic (Figueroa) hit me in right after. I didn't have to stay out there very long."

Orr's triple and subsequent run topped off what has been the Paints' best stretch of games all year. Their win over REX on Friday marked their 10th straight win and their 20th win overall.

That's not all. Friday night also ensured Chillicothe had another playoff run on the horizon. Its win over REX secured it a playoff spot for the 11th time in 14 seasons.

But Orr and Figueroa weren't the lone contributors on Friday. They merely capped a performance from the Paints that knocked REX around for seven innings straight.

The Paints have one of the most deadly efficient offenses in the Prospect League. They reinforced that fact against REX. Eight players combined for 14 hits. Another six walked. Six more scored all 11 runs. Orr himself ended the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, and Figueroa closed the night after going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.

"Vibes are high right now, everyone's confident in themselves," Paints coach Michael Boswell said. "Like I said earlier in the season, confidence is scary, and once these guys started realizing how good they truly are, it's just kept rolling. Tim Orr has been, red hot is not a good enough definition for him. He is just on absolute fire. He's playing a video game right now, it seems like."

That's not even to mention Colin Bryant's performance on the mound. The lefty pitched one of the best outings of his season. He lasted all seven innings on the mound, striking out eight and giving up just six hits. REX never got a hold on Bryant. He didn't even forfeit a run until REX scored on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Before that, Bryant had all but shut REX down at the plate.

Pitching has been one of the Paints' key struggles throughout the season. Even while on their 10-game winning streak, their offense has been the facet that has vaulted past opponents in the Prospect League. Boswell, however, sees the pitching staff gaining confidence. Bryant's complete game on Friday showcased one part of a newly confident rotation.

"He was nails, and the nice thing is that he knows how to pitch," Boswell said. "He wasn't out there trying to throw 100 miles an hour. He's an 82-84 guy, right up to 85, and plussed and minused. He threw a knuckleball tonight at I think 54 miles an hour, and he came back with 84. That stuff is disrupting for a hitter. That is pitching."

Friday night wasn't just another win for the Paints. It was the intersection of the work they had put in through the first half of the season. They've got their longest win streak of the season in tow, their offense is as productive as ever and they've found stability on the mound. Their 11th playoff appearance in 14 years is another bonus.

Have the Paints turned a corner? Signs point to yes. They've pointed that way for 10 games. There's a sense of optimism growing at VA Memorial Stadium, and each win only adds fuel to the fire. Friday night just served to be another log for that fire of confidence.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Chillicothe Paints lock down playoff spot with rout of REX Baseball