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Collins saves the day, doubles in winning run

4 min read
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Roman Collins, the Wild Things’ left fielder and former Canonsburg resident, helped tie Washington’s game in the seventh inning Thursday night with one of the most bizarre doubles of his career, a check-swing roller that hit off the third-base bag.

Collins won the game a few innings later with one of the longest doubles of his career, a drive deep to the angle in left centerfield.

Collins drove in Kyle Pollock and pinch-runner Ryan Cox with a two-out, bases-loaded double that just eluded the lunging grasp of Normal center fielder James Davison Jr. and skipped off the wall as Washington edged the CornBelters 4-3 in 11 innings at Wild Things Park.

The win, which came in the Frontier League’s tiebreaker format, was Washington’s fourth in a row and pulled the Wild Things to within one game of first-place Joliet in the East Division. Normal entered the game in first place in the West.

The teams spent much of the night combining to strand a small village on base. Both teams left 12 runners on base, including seven by Washington in the first three innings.

Normal took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th. CornBelters shortstop Santiago Chirino, who earlier this year became the Frontier League’s all-time hits leader – he broke the record held by former Washington standout Chris Sidick – smacked a two-out single to right field off Kellen Croce (2-0) that scored Michael Baca. Chirino went 4-for-6.

The Wild Things began the bottom of the 11th with Pollock on second base and he moved to third on a groundout by Carter McEachern. Connor Simonetti was intentionally walked and Brett Marr was hit by a pitch from Jonathan De Marte (3-3) to load the bases with one out.

De Marte, who was working his third inning of relief, struck out James Harris with a 74 mph floater on a 2-2 pitch. That brought Collins to the plate and he drove a pitch deep to left centerfield that Davison Jr., almost ran down at the wall. Collins went 4-for-5.

Washington took a 1-0 lead in the first inning but missed a golden opportunity to forge a commanding lead. Reydel Medina scored from second base on a single by Pollock off Normal starter Jacinto Garcia but Washington left the bases loaded.

Normal grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fifth. The CornBelters received a leadoff double into the right-field corner by catcher Cody Erickson and a single by Baca, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, to tie the score as Baca advanced to second base on the relay throw to home plate. After a sacrifice bunt by speedy leadoff hitter Davison Jr. moved Baca to third base, shortstop Chirino lined a run-scoring single up the middle to give Normal the lead.

Wild Things starter Michael Austin threw seven strong innings in a no-decision. He allowed only two runs on eight hits and one walk. He struck out six.

Washington tied the score in the seventh, getting the benefit of a check-swing double and one of the shortest sacrifice flies in Wild Things history.

Collins led off the seventh against reliever Evan Smith and hit a check-swing grounder that bounced about 10 times before skimming off the top of the third-base bag. The ball rolled slowly into the CornBelters’ bullpen before hitting a Normal relief pitcher and going for a double.

A groundout moved Collins to third base with one out and Hector Roa followed with a fly ball to shallow center field. Collins tagged and easily beat the throw to home plate by Davison Jr. to tie the score at 2-2.

Extra bases

Collins was caught stealing to end the bottom of the ninth. It was the first time he was thrown out all season after 15 consecutive steals. … Washington closer Zach Strecker pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

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