COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. – The Tri-City Chili Peppers dominated from start to finish in an in-state matchup with the Martinsville Mustangs on Friday and left Shepherd Stadium with a 15-5 victory.

Justin Pearson (William & Mary) made his Tri-City debut on Friday night and picked up the win for the Chili Peppers, going 4.2 innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks while also striking out four batters.

Tri-City jumped all over Mustangs’ starter Bryan Juarez, who picked up the loss after pitching 4.1 innings and giving up four runs on five hits.

The Chili Peppers jumped out to an early lead in the third inning when Wilson Galvan (South Carolina) notched his first home run of the summer that gave Tri-City a 3-0 lead.

Martinsville responded in the fourth and fifth innings, bringing the game to a one-run contest as the Chili Peppers went to the bullpen, but Tri-City responded in a big way in the bottom of the fifth. The Chili Peppers scored six runs in the inning, highlighted by the first blast of the summer from catcher Cole Christman (John A. Logan).

Tri-City would add onto the lead as the game went on with home runs from Hunter Gilliam (Longwood) in the sixth and a pinch-hit home run from Drew Camp (USC-Upstate) in the eighth as well as three more runs coming in the seventh to take a 15-2 lead.

Martinsville tacked on three runs in the ninth, but Gavin Bates (Iona) closed the door on the night and helped the Chili Peppers move back within one game of .500 at 2-3 on the season.

Tri-City is back in action on Saturday, June 5 on the road in Wilson, N.C. against the Tobs for the second of eleven games between the two teams on the season.