By Chris Dugan, Sports Editor

dugan@observer-reporter.com

The schedule favors them, the Wild Things said. They still have seven home games remaining - including four this weekend - against the last-place Midwest Sliders, they said. This was when the Wild Things would make their move toward a seventh consecutive playoff berth, they said.

Someone forgot to tell the Sliders.

Midwest pounded Washington ace Aaron Ledbetter to win the opening game of a doubleheader over the Wild Things, 7-5, Friday night. Washington bounced back for a split, winning the nightcap, 5-0, as Zach Groh and Chris Rivera combined on a one-hit shutout.

"I'm very disappointed that we didn't take two," Washington manager Greg Jelks said. "I feel my ballclub is better is much better than the other one on the field, but we didn't come out with the focus needed with what's at stake."

The split leaves the Wild Things (39-40) two games behind Gateway and Traverse City, which are tied for the final wild-card playoff berth. There are 17 games remaining for each team.

After falling behind big early and losing the opener, Washington came within three outs of the third no-hitter in franchise history in the second game.

Groh (3-1), who has been bothered by a shoulder injury and has pitched only two innings since June, started and tossed five no-hit innings. The Reading native struck out and walked one.

Groh came out, Jelks said, because of pitch count.

"He was over it. It was set at 70 pitches and we let him throw 84," Jelks explained. "I let him pitch the fifth so he could get the win."

Rivera replaced Groh and pitched a hitless sixth.

"I never want to come out of a game, but I understand what they were doing with the pitch count," said Groh, who added that he has never thrown a no-hitter at any level.

"It was in my best interest to come out, and I'm OK with that. I can't argue with what they did."

Midwest's Jonnie Knoble ended the no-hit bid with a double into the left-field corner to lead off the seventh inning.

Washington had only five hits in the second game but took advantage of six Midwest errors.

The Wild Things scored the only run they needed when Chris Raber drew a second-inning walk off Ryan Myers (0-2), stole two bases and scored on an overthrow at third base.

The Wild Things gave Groh a five-run cushion during the third inning. Phil Butch singled, stole second, advanced on an error and scored on Chris Sidick's sacrifice fly. Jacob Dempsey hit a two-out triple to right centerfield and scored on a balk. Gerard Haran kept the inning going with a single, Raber followed with a walk and each scored when Brad Arnett's fly ball was dropped for a two-base error.

In the opener, Ben Barrone, the 2007 NCAA Division II Player of the Year at Winona State, hit a fifth-inning grand slam off Ledbetter (9-5) that broke open a close game and propelled the Sliders to victory. Even with Barrone's big hit, it was Knoble, Midwest's left fielder, who made the game's biggest play.

In the bottom of the fifth, Knoble robbed Brett Grandstrand of a two-run homer by making a leaping catch, pulling the ball back over the wall.

"That was the greatest play I've seen in person," said Midwest starting pitcher Chris Rubio, the beneficiary of the highlight-reel catch. "I didn't think the ball was hit that good but it kept going and Knoble made a great play. That was pretty exciting."

Midwest, which is next-to-last in the league in home runs, hit three homers. Miguel Magrass smacked a two-run shot for a 2-1 lead in the third. Barrone's grand slam pushed Midwest's advantage to 6-1 and knocked out Ledbetter.

Coming off a complete-game win Sunday over surging Windy City, Ledbetter gave up eight hits in 4 1/3 innings and did not strike out a batter.

Sam Mann replaced Ledbetter and promptly gave up a homer to Sean Snell that made it 7-1.

Rubio (1-6) pitched 5 2/3 strong innings for his first win since July 20, 2007 at Florence, also in the first game of a doubleheader. A reliever converted to starting pitcher last month, Rubio was winless in his last 37 appearances.

The two runs Knoble took away loomed large after Washington scored three times in the sixth to pull to within 7-5 and had runners on first and second with two outs. Midwest closer Earl Oakes was then brought in and struck out Sidick to end the threat. Oakes pitched a scoreless seventh for his 11th save.

"We're just trying to play the spoiler's role down the stretch," Rubio said.

Extra bases

In his seven previous starts, Rubio had given up either one or no earned runs three times but failed to get a win. ... Midwest entered the doubleheader having lost 12 of its last 14. ... The Sliders were no-hit earlier this month by Windy City's Isaac Hess. ... Washington's last no-hitter was thrown by Adam Palmer in the second game of a doubleheader at Windy City on Aug. 5, 2003.

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