May 19, 2015 4 min read

There is an old saying in team sports that goes like this: You first have to not lose a game before you can win it.

The Wild Things are still working on the first part of that adage.

Through their first four games of the season, the Wild Things have been finding ways to give away wins.

In the season opener, it was a lack of hitting with runners on base that led to their undoing in a one-run loss. That was followed by a bullpen meltdown in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday.

In the opening game of a series against Evansville, the Wild Things couldn’t protect an early three-run lead and gift-wrapped two runs for the Otters with defensive breakdowns in a 7-6 loss in 10 innings Tuesday night at Consol Energy Park.

Washington held leads of 1-0, 4-1 and 5-3, but Evansville scored two runs – Only one of which was earned – in the seventh inning for a 5-5 tie.

Chris Sweeney lined a two-out single up the middle off Washington reliever Pat Butler (0-2) that scored John Schultz from second base with the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. Josh Allen, who hit a solo homer in the second inning off Washington starter Tim Flight, made it 7-5 with a single that drove in Sweeney. Allen was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Washington was able to produce one run in the bottom of the 10th on a sacrifice fly by Sam Mende that scored Maxx Garrett, but the Wild Things left the potential tying run on second base.

Had the game gone to the 11th inning, it would have been the second in the Frontier League this season to go to the international tiebreaker – all half-innings after the 10th begin with a runner on second base and no outs. This is the first year the league has used the tiebreaker.

Allen’s hitting and two plays in which the Wild Things were unable to get outs were crucial in the Otters’ comeback.

With Washington leading 5-3, J.D. Dorgan led off the top of the seventh with a single off Matt Purnell, the second of five Washington pitchers. Cory Urquhart, the No. 9 batter in the Otters’ lineup, put down a bunt that went directly back to Purnell, but his throw to second base was too high for shortstop Austin Wobrock to catch. The throwing error was followed by a balk that gave Evansville two runners in scoring position.

Ronnie Richardson then rolled a hit between the foul line and diving first baseman Lee Orr, scoring Dorgan and Urquhart and making it a 5-5 game.

With Washington leading 4-2 in the third inning, Evansville had runners on first and third with two outs when Flight picked Allen off first base. Allen broke for second base on Flight’s throw but the Wild Things didn’t get an out on the play. Allen beat Orr’s throw to second base as Kurt Wertz raced home from third base to score.

Washington took a 1-0 lead two batters into the bottom of the first inning when right fielder David Popkins hit the Wild Things’ first home run of the season, a drive to right centerfield off Evansville starter Tyler Vail. Two batters later, Orr singled and he scored on the first of two doubles by Garrett, giving Washington a quick 2-0 lead.

Popkins walked and scored in the third inning when C.J. Beatty singled and the ball was misplayed in the outfield for an error. Beatty made it 4-1 when he scored on a single by Matt Ford, who also had an RBI double in the fifth that pushed the Wild Things’ lead to 5-3.

Evansville relievers combined for five scoreless innings with left sidearmer Blake Molnar (1-0) getting the win. Edgar Lopez got the final three outs for the save.

Evansville didn’t play at Washington last year until Sept. 2. … The Otters have six Pennsylvania natives on their active roster. That’s five more than the Wild Things. … Washington reliever Richie Mirowski pitched 2 2/3 perfect innings and struck out four. … Attendance was listed as 792, the second-smallest crowd for a home game in Wild Things history.