Jul 30, 2015 4 min read

If the Wild Things are to venture back into the Frontier League playoff race a lots of things must happen, such as many more games like the one played Thursday night at Consol Energy Park.

For a change, it was Washington that produced a multi-run first inning and that was enough to carry the Wild Things to a 7-2 victory over the River City Rascals. Washington had wins on both ends of the three-game series.

Shortstop Austin Wobrock capped a five-run first inning with a three-run double and pitcher Tim Flight won for the first time since May 29 by allowing only one run over six innings.

During the Wild Things’ July slide, it has been big first innings by the opponent that left Washington’s hitters playing catch-up ball too often and led directly to several lopsided defeats. This time, however, Washington knocked out River City starting pitcher Joe Scanio (7-5) after only two-thirds of an inning.

“That first inning, it felt good to do that to somebody else,” Wobrock said. “We’re capable of doing that.”

With one out and nobody one base in the bottom fo the first, Washington strung together four consecutive hits – singles by Matt Ford, Sam mende, Scott Kalamar and a double to the centerfield wall by David Popkins – to take a 2-0 lead. After Scanio struck out Carter Bell, Andrew Heck drew a walk to load the bases with two outs.

Wobrock, the only Wild Things player to appear in the league’s all-star game earlier this month, then went the opposite way with a pitch and smacked it just inside the third-base line and into the corner, clearing the bases and giving Washington a 5-0 lead.

“It’s nice to get that five spot and add on later,” Washington manager Bob Bozzuto said. “Austin has done a good job for us. You’ve seen some growth in him. He’s playing a nice shortstop and had some big hits. The one in the first inning was the biggest hit in this game.”

The five earned runs given up by Scanio was the most he’s allowed in a game all season.

River City scored an unearned run in the second. It was the only run Flight allowed. The lefty scattered four hits and four walks.

“Tim has been pitching well for us,” Wobrock said. “He battles. Sometimes the hitters can’t get any breaks when he pitches, so today was nice.”

Washington added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Bell hit a home run down the left-field line off River City reliever Joe Pavlovich in the sixth. It was one of only two hits allowed by Pavlovich in 5 1/3 innings.

In the seventh, two walks set up Andrew Heck’s single that scored Scott Kalamar.

Kalamar also had another key defensive play. For the second night in a row, the Wild Things’ right fielder threw out a runner at home plate, gunning down Jackson Slaid for the first out in the second inning. Slaid was trying to score from first base on an errant throw that went down the first-base line but was easily thrown out by Kalamar.

The error was one of six in the game – three by each team – with all committed in the first five innings.

“That game was a little different,” Wobrock admitted.

River City scored its second run in the ninth inning when speedy Curran Redal tripled into the right-field corner to drive in Zach Kometani.

The win pulled Washington to within seven games of River City, which holds the final wild-card playoff berth.

“We’re just taking them one game at a time, trying to win each series,” Wobrock said.

Evansville signed former major league pitcher Brett Marshall, who was on the Cincinnati Reds’ opening day roster last year and played for the New York Yankees in 2013. Marshall played this year for Class AA New Britain, which is the team managed by former Wild Things manager Darin Everson. Marshall is believed to be the seventh former major leaguer to play in the Frontier League. … River City left fielder Brian Hansen, who entered the series leading the league in hitting at .409, went 0-for-11 in the three games and his average dropped to .381.