Pollock, Things slam way to win

Kyle Pollock’s value to the Wild Things is usually in what is not found in the boxscore as his job description is to prevent offense by the opponent.
As Washington’s defensive-minded catcher, Pollock’s primary nightly responsibility is to handle the pitching staff, prevent wild pitches by blocking balls in the dirt and throttle the opponent’s running game. Pollock handles each of those tasks as well as any catcher in the Frontier League.
Pollock, however, can hit, too, though he entered Washington’s game Saturday night against Traverse City with a mere .167 batting average.
“I was on suicide watch,” Pollock joked.
Pollock proved during the Wild Things’ big fifth inning that he still knows how to handle the bat. He had two hits, including a grand slam that capped Washington’s nine-run fifth inning that led to a 10-3 victory before a crowd of 2,970 at Wild Things Park.
Pollock’s home run, his first of the season, was Washington’s second in the inning. Left fielder Bralin Jackson had given the Wild Things a 5-2 lead with a three-run homer.
“Kyle has been fighting it a little,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said. “He got himself into a fastball count and didn’t miss it.”
Pollock’s homer pushed Washington’s lead to 9-2. It was his best offensive game since the season opener at Windy City when he drove in three runs in a Wild Things victory.
“We think he’s a better hitter than what his numbers show so far,” Langbehn said. “Hopefully, he can keep it rolling. He was frustrated, no doubt.”
The grand slam was the topper in what was a bizarre inning that included two Traverse City errors that led to five unearned runs.
Traverse City led 2-0 when Washington’s Kyle Reese led off the bottom of the fifth with a fly ball that left fielder Alexis Rivera seemed to momentarily lose in the sun. The ball glanced off Rivera’s glove for a two-base error. A single by Pollock – his first of two hits in the inning – was followed by Kyle Sonnier’s sacrifice fly that made it a 2-1 score.
“What I liked is we capitalized again,” Langbehn said. “To me, the biggest at-bat in that inning was Sonnier’s sacrifice fly.”
Rashad Brown and Alex Fernandez followed with singles that tied the score at 2-2. Jackson then hit the final pitch of the night from Beach Bums starter James Ball (1-1) over the wall in left field to make it 5-2.
Devin Over replaced Ball, and two-out singles by Hector Roa and Kenny Peoples-Walls, along with Reese reaching base on an error for the second time in the inning, set up Pollock’s grand slam to left centerfield.
“I have been seeing the ball well but some things had gotten out of whack for me,” Pollock said. “It has been a slow start. Maybe this will get me going and it stays that way.”
Washington pitcher Aaron Burns, who was making his second professional start, and Traverse City’s Ball, who was making an emergency start after the Beach Bums ace Kramer Champlin was scratched, were cruising through four innings of a scoreless game.
A rookie out of Texas-San Antonio, Burns took a two-hitter into the fifth when he seemed to tire against the bottom three hitters in the Beach Bums’ batting order, giving up singles to Kendall Patrick and Brook Clark around a walk to Giancarlo Brugnoni. Burns then walked Jeff Deblieux to force in the game’s first run.
Reliever Davis Adkins replaced Burns and the sidearmer’s first pitch went off Pollock’s glove and Brugnoni raced home to give Traverse City a 2-0 lead.
Adkins (1-0) allowed only one hit over 2 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win. He benefitted from Washington’s big inning.
“Burns did fine. We’ll give him another start and build him up,” Langbehn said. “Adkins did a terrific job. He was able to control it in the fifth inning and keep it at two runs.”
Traverse City shortstop Will Kengor hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. Kengor has reached base in 14 consecutive games. … Jackson had three of Washington’s 12 hits. … Burns was Washington’s first-round pick at the Frontier League’s tryout and draft that was held in April.