Joliet powers past Wild Things
Joliet Slammers designated hitter Justin Garcia doesn’t hold a grudge against the Wild Things.
After all, things have worked out for Garcia, even if he didn’t play professional baseball last year.
Garcia signed with Washington late in the 2016 Frontier League season and was in spring training with the Wild Things last year. He was one of the final cuts in camp and spent the summer out of baseball.
Still with a desire to play baseball, Garcia finally talked his way into an opportunity with Joliet this year.
The results have been impressive.
Garcia hit a two-run homer, his third home run of the series, and powered Joliet to a 4-1 victory over the Wild Things Thursday night.
The home run was the 16th of the season for Garcia, who leads the Frontier League in that category along with RBI (54).
“I wouldn’t say I have a grudge against Washington,” Garcia said. “There are no hard feelings, but you do always want to show up your old team. I still have some good friends on that team. I do want them to regret (releasing me). It feels good.”
Garcia, who batted only .190 in 14 games for the Wild Things in 2016, displayed his strength and power by hitting a line-drive home run to right field off Washington starter Chase Cunningham (4-4) in the fourth inning, giving the Slammers a 3-0 lead.
“I thought the first baseman was going to jump up and catch that home run, that’s how low it was,” Joliet manager Jeff Isom joked. “Garcia is scorching the ball. We’re glad we have him on our team.”
Joliet won two of the three games in the series to remain in first place in the east Division. Washington, which spent 40 days in first place before its current slide, has lost eight of its last 10 series.
“My concern is the way we’re being manhandled by teams in our division,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said. “We have to find some way to get some momentum.”
The Wild Things’ only run against three Joliet pitchers came in the fifth inning when James Harris hit a triple to right centerfield off Scot Hoffman (6-3) and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carter McEachern. That cut Joliet’s lead to 3-1 but Washington had one hit over the rest of the game.
Hoffman, who last year was pitching for $57 a week in the independent Pecos League, gave up five hits over seven innings. Relievers Nate Antone and Isaac Sanchez retired all six batters they faced with the latter getting his fourth save.
Langbehn compared this series to the one against Lake Erie to open the season’s second half when Washington was swept in a three-game set.
“We did the same things in this series as we did against Lake Erie,” he said. “They outpitched us and made plays defensively. That’s the third time we’ve faced Hoffman, and I like him. We have to fight for everything against him. We didn’t sustain anything.”
London Lindley’s speed helped Joliet take a 1-0 lead in the first inning when he led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on a Trenton Hill single. Lindley drew a leadoff walk off reliever Jared Crescentini, stole second and advanced to third when the throw sailed into center field for an error. Lindley scored on a ground ball to third base, beating the throw to home plate and giving the Slammers a 4-1 lead.
“We have to figure our way out of this,” Langbehn said.
Extra bases
Prior to the game, Washington signed right-handed starting pitcher Levi MaVorhis, who spent three seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals system. A former Kansas State player, MaVorhis is scheduled to start Washington’s game Saturday at Traverse City. To clear a spot for MaVorhis, the Wild Things placed corner infielder Joran Edgerton on the suspended list. Edgerton was batting .191 with two home runs in 19 games. … Cunningham gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings. … Washington right fielder Hector Roa threw out two baserunners. He threw out Joliet’s Trenton Hill, who trying to stretch his first-inning single to a double, and threw out Danny Zardon at home plate when he tried to score from second base on Ridge Hoopii-Haslam’s single in the seventh. Roa is tied for the league lead in outfield assists with nine.