Wild Things earn doubleheader split with Joliet
Washington’s Joe Iorio pitches during the top of the eighth inning Saturday in the completion of a suspended game from Friday at Consol Energy Park.
Wild Things’ David Popkins is unable to throw out the Slammers’ Phillip Bates during a five-run third inning Saturday.
There have been stretches of games during which the Wild Things have looked like a team that can claw its way back into a Frontier League playoff race.
There also have been days when the Wild Things look like a team that couldn’t find a way to win even if Abner Doubleday came back and personally gave them the script.
In a doubleheader Saturday against Joliet on fireworks night, the Wild Things were a little of both.
Led by a huge game from third baseman Mike Garza, Joliet pounded out 16 hits and thumped Washington 11-4 in the opener, which was the completion of Friday night’s suspended contest.
In the nightcap, catcher Maxx Garrett hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning and three Wild Things pitchers combined on a one-hitter as Washington earned a split with a 2-1 victory.
The win was the first in five tries this year against Joliet.
“That was a great win on July 4th with fireworks for the fans,” Washington manager Bob Bozzuto exclaimed. “Our fireworks started in the bottom of the sixth inning. I am so happy for Maxx. He has been waiting for this.”
The home run was the first of the season for Garrett, who hit eight round-trippers last year as the Wild Things’ backup catcher to Jim Vahalik. Garrett entered this season as the starter but got off to a slow start and has been relegated to splitting time with rookie John Fidanza. Garrett entered the game with a .212 batting average but Bozzuto said the third-year catcher has remained optimistic and continues to work hard.
“He works his tail off,” Bozzuto said.
Garrett finally got rewarded for all his hard work when hit a 1-1 pitch from Joliet sidearming relief pitcher Kevin McNulton (3-2) down the left-field line and far over the outfield wall, giving Washington a 2-1 lead.
“I saw the pitch sequence (McNulton) used to the batter ahead of me and they were the same as the first two pitches of may at-bat,” Garrett said. “I had a good look and an idea of what he was going to throw.”
Matt Sergey started on the mound in the nightcap for Washington and allowed only one hit over five innings. He retired the last 13 batters he faced before being pulled as a precautionary move.
“He has some shoulder tightness,” Bozzuto said. “Going into today I would have said Matt was doubtful. He wanted one more day off. We considered moving him back to Sunday, but after having the game suspended Friday and losing (starting pitcher) Tim Flight in the process Matt said he would go. He gave us five gutsy innings.”
Sergey did not issue a walk and struck out six. He did hit a batter and it led to Joliet’s only run. After Alfredo Rodriguez, who doubled twice in the opener, was plunked with a two-out pitch in the first inning, Garza tripled to the gap in right centerfield to give the Slammers a 1-0 lead.
“Matt was a question mark going out there but he really battled,” Garrett said. “You wouldn’t have known he was battling soreness. He shut down a team that had just scored 11 runs.”
Washington made it 1-1 in the fourth. Former California University standout Matt Peters and Garrett singled to start the inning but a failed sacrifice bunt led to Peters being thrown out at third base. Andrew Heck, who was making his first start of the season, singled to right field to drive in Garrett and tie the score.
Steve Messner (1-1) pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning in relief of Sergey, setting up Garrett’s game-winner. Matt Purnell got the final three outs for his fourth save.
Though they earned a split, it was a painful doubleheader for the Wild Things as they lost two players to injuries. Switch-hitting designated hitter C.J. Beatty, who already was playing with a hand injury that has prevented him from batting right-handed, left in the second inning of the opener with a leg injury.
“We’ll have a better idea about C.J. in the morning,” Bozzuto said.
Relief pitcher Joe Iorio left in the ninth inning of the opener with an oblique injury that Bozzuto thinks will cause the rookie to go on the disabled list.
Joliet, which had outscored Washington 14-1 in sweeping the Wild Things in Illinois early in the season, scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning of the opener and cruised to the victory. Garza went 5-for-6 with triple and five RBI. Each of the first five batters in the Slammers’ lineup had at least two hits and a run scored.
David Kubiak (4-3) pitched five innings of scoreless relief for the win in a game that was resumed with Washington leading 1-0 in the second inning. Richie Mirowski (4-3) was the losing pitcher.
Garza’s five-hit game was only the second by a Frontier League player at Consol Energy Park and coincidentally Joliet’s Jeff Isom was the manager of both players. Washington outfielder Jake Bollig went 5-for-5 against Florence with a double and two triples Aug. 8, 2003. Isom was the Wild Things’ manager in 2002 and ’03. … When Iorio left with the injury with two outs in the ninth inning, first baseman Sam Mende replaced him on the mound. It was the first time Mende has pitched since high school. He did not give up a hit or run.