Washington ties series, outslugs Florence in win
Frontier League baseball games are like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.
Game 1 of the Wild Things’ playoff series against Florence Tuesday night was a fast-paced, well-pitched game that featured 28 strikeouts and 11 innings. It was one of the best games of the season at Wild Things Park.
Game 2 last night was anything but a pitcher’s duel. It was a slow-moving, high-scoring struggle, the kind of contest the 25-year-old independent league was known for in its infancy.
The biggest difference in the games, as far as the Wild Things are concerned, is the outcomes.
Washington gave up a tying run in the ninth inning and lost Game 1, but they pulled even in the best-of-5 series when Jake Eaton, the fifth Washington pitcher of the night, retired all three batters he faced to nail down a wild 10-9 victory in Game 2.
Game 3 is Friday night in Florence, Ky. Washington will send Ethan Gibbons (8-6, 5.11) to the mound against Florence’s Steve Hagen (8-5, 3.95). Gibbons played the last two seasons for Florence.
The Wild Things built a 7-0 lead in the second inning, then spent the rest of Game 2 seemingly bent on giving it away. Florence scored in six consecutive innings as Washington pitchers issued six walks and hit three batters.
“Every pitch matters,” said Washington designated hitter James Harris, who was 2-for-3 and got his team off to the strong start with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, a shot off Florence starter Braulio Torres-Perez, who gave up seven runs in 1 1/3 innings.
“Nothing in the playoffs is going to come easily. (Florence) is going to battle for every pitch. We’ve seen that. We have to lock down and close out games. We were able to do that in this one and that’s why the series is tied.”
It’s tied because Washington also got off to a terrific start, then managed to survive in a game that also included some controversy. Florence closed to within 10-9 in the eighth inning and had the tying run on second base with two outs when Washington left fielder Bralin Jackson, while going toward the foul line, made a sliding catch of a sinking line drive off the bat of Andrew Mercurio that ended the threat.
Florence manager Dennis Pelfrey argued the ruling of a catch, saying Jackson had caught the ball on the short hop. The three-man umpiring crew conferred briefly and the out call stood.
Florence’s Andrew Godbold, who hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 1, drew a leadoff walk from Zach Strecker in the ninth but was stranded at first base as Eaton entered and ended the game by retiring three consecutive hitters.
“This shows you what kind of team we have,” Pelfrey said. “We’re very resilient. … We didn’t think we were out of it, even when down 7-0.”
Harris’ home run, an RBI-groundout by Kane Sweeney and Mike Hill’s run-scoring single made it 3-0 in the first. A single by Harris drove in Trevin Sonnier and gave Washington a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Harris scored on a single by Rashad Brown, who gave the Wild Things a seven-run advantage when he scored on another fielder’s choice by Sweeney.
Florence didn’t get going until the third, when catcher Garrett Vail was hit by a pitch from Washington starter Chase Cunningham and third baseman Taylor Oldham, a former Wild Things player, hit a two-run homer to left centerfield. It was the first hit of the game for the Freedom and cut Washington’s lead to 7-2.
Washington led 10-4 after four innings but couldn’t get a shutdown inning until the ninth.
The Freedom closed to within 10-8 in the seventh and made it a one-run game in the eighth on a two-out single by Collins Cuthrell that scored Daniel Fraga.
Cuthrell’s hit, which advanced Oldham to second base, was followed by Jackson’s controversial catch.
“We have to score runs, like we did tonight, and close out games,” Harris said. “This is a scrappy team we’re playing and they’re not going to give up, whether they’re down one run or seven runs.”
Mike Fichter, who was the home-plate umpire, is a former major league umpire. He was the home-plate umpire when Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. of Donora hit his 500th career home run. … Florence outhit Washington 10-8 as every Freedom starter except Fraga had at least one hit. … Washington stole four bases, including two by Harris. … Washington right fielder Hector Roa hit a double in the fourth inning that manager Gregg Langbehn argued should have been called a home run. Langbehn said the ball hit off the scoreboard in left centerfield before falling onto the playing field.