Evansville relievers handle Wild Things

Evansville starting pitcher Tyler Vail got credited with the win in the Otters’ 6-5 victory over the Wild Things Sunday afternoon.
Edgar Lopez pitched the ninth inning, giving up a run. He earned his league-leading 25th save.
You could, however, make an ironclad case that Evansville relief pitcher Connor Little, who simply got a job-well-done handshake from his teammates, played as important a role in the Otters extending the Wild Things’ Sunday slump as Vail or Lopez.
Little took over from Vail with Evansville leading 5-4 in the seventh inning. He didn’t allow a hit or a walk for two innings while putting the Wild Things’ offense into a slumber.
That’s the way it has been all season for Evansville. Little has been the bridge between the starters and Lopez. The right-hander has filled the same kind of setup relief role that Washington’s Matt Purnell and Pat Butler handled so fabulously last season.
“I can’t say enough about the job Little and Lopez have done,” Evansville manager Andy McCauley said. “They are our MVPs. When we have a lead after six innings, like today, they have been lights-out.”
Little has pitched in a team-high 45 games, has seven wins in relief, has struck out 83 batters in only 61 innings and opponents are hitting a paltry .165 against him.
“That’s a tough role to pitch in because, when we have the lead, all you can get is a loss,” McCauley said. “Connor had a 1-5 record at one point, but he has been the difference for us with what he has done all year.”
What Little did against Washington was retire six of the seven batters he faced. The only batter to reach base was Matt Ford, who got aboard when Little failed to touch first base while covering the bag on a ground ball to start the eighth inning. Washington never did advance Ford to scoring position.
Those two shutout innings were enough time for Evansville to add to its lead, scoring a run in the eighth on a double by John Schultz and an RBI single by Chris Sweeney that made it 6-4.
That gave Lopez some margin for error, which he needed in the ninth when Danny Poma drew a one-out walk and David Popkins laced a run-scoring double up the alley in left centerfield. After a walk to Maxx Garrett put the potential winning run on base, Lopez ended the game with a strikeout and a ground ball.
Washington, which lost its league-high 22nd one-run game, fell behind 4-0 in the first inning, then rallied with a four-run third. The game wasn’t tied for very long as Washington starter Jeremy Holcombe (1-4) gave up a leadoff homer to second baseman Josh Allen in the fourth.
“I talked to Jeremy after he was done,” Washington manager Bob Bozzuto said, “and I wasn’t happy. He walked two guys in the first inning. … We have to compete. We can’t nibble.”
Those two walks came around to score when Nik Balog and Allen hit two-out singles. Kurt Wertz then doubled home Balog and Allen.
Holcombe, a rookie from Faulkner University in Alabama, gave up five runs in five innings.
“He’s a young guy and we’re going to live and die with him,” Bozzuto said. “He does have the command and presence. It’s coming. You can see it, but it’s going to take time.”
Washington tied the score in the third against Vail (9-4). Andrew Heck walked before Ford and Sam Mende singled to produce a run. A walk loaded the bases with one out and shortstop Austin Wobrock cleared them with a double to left centerfield that made the score 4-4.
Allen led off the fifth with his ninth homer of the season and second of the series.
“After tying the game, we have to put up a zero in the next inning,” Bozzuto said. “Plus, we’ve had trouble scoring in the second half of games.”
Evansville (48-42), which forfeited 10 wins last Monday for using an ineligible player, has moved into the third wild-card playoff spot with six games remaining in the regular season.
“We’re getting closer and closer,” McCauley said. “Hopefully, we can win the 900th game in franchise history and clinch a playoff berth again. We’re having a lot of firsts with this. I’m proud that our guys have been able to take a kick in the gut and still win seven of eight games.”
Florence (46-44) moved into the final wild-card spot Sunday by defeating the Frontier Greys. Florence’s win officially eliminated the Wild Things (39-51) from playoff contention. Rockford (45-45) is one game behind Florence for the final wild-card spot. … Washington is 1-9 in Sunday home games. … Washington reliever Steve Messner pitched a scoreless eighth inning to lower his ERA to 1.57.