Sep 15, 2018 2 min read

JOLIET, Ill. – Hector Roa hit a two-run single in the sixth inning and Zach Strecker pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the ninth as the Wild Things avoided elimination and defeated the Joliet Slammers, 2-1, Saturday night in Game 4 of the Frontier League championship series.

Washington evened the best-of-5 series at 2-2. The decisive Game 5 will be played Monday (7:05 p.m.) at Wild Things Park. Washington is seeking its first Frontier League championship.

Joliet took a 1-0 lead in the second inning against Washington starting pitcher Dillon Sunnafrank, who was making his first appearance in the postseason. Sunnafrank walked Chaz Meadows with one out and Brian Parreria, the Slammers’ No. 9 hitter, laced a two-out double that gave Joliet the game’s first run.

Sunnafrank was otherwise terrific as he pitched into the seventh inning and allowed only two hits and three walks. He struck out four.

The Wild Things took the lead in the sixth. Dom Iero led off with a walk off Joliet starter Corey Kimber and James Harris reached on a two-base error that put runners on second and third with no outs. It appeared the Slammers would get out of the jam after a groundout and strikeout, but Roa delivered a two-run, two-out single that gave Washington a 2-1 lead.

Jesus Balaguer relieved Sunnafrank with a runner on second in the seventh inning and got six outs before turning the game over to Strecker in the ninth.

Justin Garcia started the ninth with a single and a sacrifice bunt moved a pinch-runner to second base. Trenton Hill then drew a walk, but Meadows hit a grounder to shortstop Ryan Cox, who stepped on second base for a forceout and threw to first base to complete a game-ending double play.

It was Strecker’s third save of the playoffs.