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Wild Things stroll off with win in 11th

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The Wild Things’ game Tuesday night against Windy City was a good example of why Washington has the best record in the Frontier League and why the ThunderBolts are mired at the bottom of the standings.

Washington is finding ways to win while Windy City hasn’t been able to answer when opportunity knocks … and knocks … and knocks.

Washington, the top hitting team in the league, was held to only four hits but managed to pull out a 3-2 victory in walkoff fashion in the 11th inning.

Walkoff? More like slow stroll.

Hector Roa was hit by a pitch from Windy City reliever Joel Toribio with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th to force home Carter McEachern from third base with the game-winning run.

“Hit me in the chest,” Roa said, pointing to his ribs.

When home plate umpire Lou Kammermeier indicated that the pitch from Toribio (0-2) had indeed brushed Roa’s jersey, the Washington right fielder put his arms up to celebrate before heading down to first base. McEachern did a slow stroll to home plate before the Wild Things celebrated on the infield.

A group exhale might have been more appropriate because the Wild Things escaped with this win.

“Windy City pitched very well,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said. “They commanded the strike zone. Their pitchers were always ahead in the count. We didn’t get good swings all night, but we did pitch well.”

Windy City, the worst hitting team in the league, outhit Washington 11-4 and chances to win in final three innings. The ThunderBolts stranded 15 baserunners and left the bases loaded in the ninth and runners on second and third in the 11th, when the International Tiebreaker started.

Windy City catcher Larry Balkwell, who went 0-for-6, struck out with runners on second and third against Washington reliever Sam Mersing (1-0) to end the top of the 11th. It was Mersing’s first professional win.

The bottom of the 11th began with McEachern on second base. Toribio fell behind 3-0 in the count against Roman Collins and the ThunderBolts chose to give the Washington left fielder an intentional walk. After Kyle Pollock flied out, a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Reydel Medina was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Roa was plunked with Toribio’s 1-0 offering.

Medina came up with the game’s biggest defensive play in the top of the ninth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Riley Krane smashed a line drive that Medina, the Wild Things’ first baseman, jumped and snagged out of the air at the top of his leap to take away a sure extra-base hit and end the threat.

“I didn’t think he had a chance to catch that one when I saw it come off the bat,” Langbehn said. “I didn’t realize Medina could jump that high.”

Thomas Dorminy started on the mound for Washington and gave up two runs over 6 2/3 innings. Davis Adkins, Zach Strecker and Mersing combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

“That’s four consecutive quality starts we’ve had,” Langbehn said. “That’s what we needed to be a playoff team. That area had to stabilize.”

Windy City took a 1-0 lead in the third on a run-scoring hit by Axel Johnson, who was 4-for-4 and reached base six times. Roa, who drove in all three Washington runs, gave the Wild Things a 2-1 lead with a two-run double in the sixth off Windy City starter Jake Welch. The ThunderBolts tied it in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Tim Zier, the final batter Dorminy faced.

Extra bases

The series resumes with an 11:05 a.m. Kids Day game today. … For the third consecutive week, Washington had the Frontier League’s Player of the Week as third baseman Mike Hill garnered the honor after going 10-for-22 and raising his batting average from 257 to .277 Hill scored nine runs, doubled twice, hit three home runs and drove in seven to go along with four walks and two stolen bases. It is the first time a team has had the FL Player of the Week in three consecutive weeks. … Washington center fielder James Harris went 0-for-5, snapping his 17-game hitting streak, the longest in the league this season. … Washington has scored runs in June (167) than Windy City has scored (124) the entire season.

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