Max Humphrey hit a walk-off sacrifice-fly for the Johnstown Mill Rats on Wednesday, leading to
a 2-1 victory over the rival Champion City Kings at Sargent’s Stadium at The Point.
Starting pitcher Ian Korn and Champion City starter Julian Minaya were impressive on
Wednesday, with Korn even admitting he didn’t have his best stuff, but still worked and
produced in a big way for the Mill Rats.
“It might be surprising, but I honestly didn’t feel the greatest tonight.” said Korn, who kept the
Champion City offense in check for most of the evening on Wednesday.
Korn, a sophomore right-hander from Seton Hall University, entered Wednesday’s action with a
2.04 ERA in the 2024 Prospect League season, picking up right where he left off, pitching eight
scoreless innings while striking out eight Champion City batters on just five hits allowed.
“I was working with what I had, I had all four pitches going for strikes, I was locating pitches and
my defense was working pretty hard behind me. I started to ramp it up towards the end and
started to feel good, so not my best stuff, but still did pretty well.”
Minaya, a senior right-hander from Glenville State college, was equally as impressive on
Wednesday, posting seven scoreless innings while striking out 12 Mill Rats batters on 94
pitches, 62 of those for strikes.
“He[Minaya] attacked.” said manager Josh Merrill, who’s in his first season as manager of the
Mill Rats. “He got ahead, changed speeds, earlier in the first half he got us then too, so that’s
twice he’s pitched well against us. Praise goes to him over there, he pitched well tonight.”
Left-hander Bennett LaPalm would relieve Minaya, allowing left-fielder Colton Ayres and center
fielder Carter Rust to reach and threaten Champion City late. Third baseman Landon Meyer
would walk to load the bases, but Champion City right-hander Joe Stone would manage his way
out of the jam, striking out right-fielder Max Humphrey and second baseman Dom Krupinski to
keep the game scoreless through eight innings.
Left-hander Mac Yarbrough was tasked to keep things level going to the bottom of the ninth for
the Mill Rats, and he did just that, retiring Champion City in order without a ball leaving the
infield.
Stone would return for the ninth inning, inducing a double play from first baseman Wesley
Parker to force extra innings.
Right-hander Matthew Benton entered the game for Johnstown in the 10th, allowing the first run
of the game to score as right-fielder James Salvatori roped one into left-field to score center
fielder Louis Florida, who was designated as the given runner per extra inning rules. Benton
would strike out left-fielder Nicholas Weyrich to keep the game within one run.
Champion City relied on the right-hander Stone again in the tenth, but Carter Rust would drive
in pinch-runner Austin Stalker to bring the game even once again at one a piece. Parker Martin
followed with a single while Landon Meyer was intentionally walked, loading the bases to set-up
the biggest moment of the game.
Max Humphrey drove one to the right-fielder James Salvatori, but the throw wasn’t enough to
stop Carter Rust from sliding into home plate and securing a walk-off victory for the Mill Rats.
“It feels good.” said Josh Merrill, who is in his first year as manager of Johnstown. “Both pitchers
pitched really well and to walk it off, that’s the best home field advantage right there.”
The Mill Rats moved to 1-0 in their debut game of the second half, while Champion City
dropped to 1-2.
Johnstown hosts Champion City on Thursday, July 4 at Sargent’s Stadium at The Point, as the
Mill Rats and fans celebrate the Fourth of July.