LeBarron helps Washington end losing streak
Before it could get any worse, and before anyone could make a dash for the panic button, the Wild Things handed the ball to Zach LeBarron.
His task was clear: stop the slide.
The Wild Things were mired in a three-game losing streak that included one frustrating setback after another in close games.
LeBarron, who joined the Wild Things only two weeks ago, isn’t considered the ace of the pitching staff. He hasn’t been here long enough to earn that distinction, but aces are supposed to stop losing streaks, which is what LeBarron has done.
LeBarron took a shutout into the sixth inning Thursday night and received help from four relief pitchers and the bottom of the batting order as the Wild Things avoided a sweep and defeated Lake Erie, 3-1.
The win improved LeBarron’s record to 3-0 in three starts, each coming after a Washington losing streak of at least three games.
“And this time, he didn’t even have his best stuff,” Washington manager Bart Zeller said. “He came in and apologized, and said he’ll be better next time. But he stuck with the game plan. He’s a battler.”
To be better, LeBarron will have to top pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing only four hits and one run. His control was off as five walks suggests, but a well-timed double play and a caught stealing at third base helped end two Lake Erie threats.
“(LeBarron) did a good job,” Lake Erie manager Jeff Isom said.
Washington’s bullpen, along with shortstop A.J. Nunizato and center fielder Darian Sandford, the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup, were even better.
Relievers Al Yevoli, Amalio Diaz, Matt Phillips and Jhonny Montoya combined for 3 2/3 hitless and scoreless innings. Montoya got the game’s final four outs for his fourth save.
“I like their bullpen,” Isom said. “It’s as deep as any club we’ve seen. If they get a lead, they have some good arms they can bring in.”
Washington forged a 2-0 lead because of Nunziato (3-for-3) and Sandford (1-for-3, two runs).
Nunziato hit a triple off the wall in right centerfield to begin the fifth inning against Crushers starter Matt Smith (2-3). Sandford made it 1-0 by following with a run-scoring double to the gap in left centerfield. A wild pitch moved Sandford to third base and he scored when Scott Kalamazr hit a long sacrifice fly to center field.
Lake Erie pulled to within 2-1 in the sixth on a single by Anderson Hildago and Emmanuel Quiles’ RBI-double. That was all for LeBarron, a crafty lefty who was released from the Los Angeles Angels organization last month.
The Washington bullpen did its job and the Wild Things tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Sandford reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second base and scored on Shain Stoner’s two-out single.
Sandford’s stolen base was his league-leading 34th of the season, which is more than four teams in the Frontier League.
Washington received some stellar defensive play from Nunziato and turned another double play on a ground ball in the ninth.
“Nunziato played one of the most outstanding games I’ve seen offensively and defensively,” Zeller said. “He picked up his game. The same goes for Sandford.”
Washington hopes to take some momentum into next week’s all-star break by winning a weekend series at Florence, the second-place team in in the East Division.
“It was good to get this win. It was really needed,” Nunziato said.
Prior to the game, Washington released outfielder Gus Benusa and relief pitcher Will Scott, and acquired outfielder Calvin Culver, a former Atlanta Braves minor leaguer who was batting .383 in the Pecos League. A Riverview High School graduate and eighth round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2009, Benusa was in his second season with the Wild Things and batting .231 in 32 games. Catcher Matt Mirabal, who was acquired in a trade Wednesday with Gateway, will join the Wild Things today and catcher Maxx Garrett (elbow) will be placed on the 60-day disabled list. … Yevoli, who retired both batters he faced in the sixth, has allowed only one run in his last 11 outings (14 innings).