May 24, 2018 4 min read

Washington left-handed starting pitcher Thomas Dorminy and Southern Illinois’ Geno Encino raced through a game Thursday night at Wild Things Park like they had somewhere to go and something better to do.

Dorminy actually did. It was his girlfriend’s birthday and he made sure they had plenty of extra time to celebrate.

Dorminy threw seven stellar innings – his second consecutive quality start – and Washington used solo home runs by Hector Roa and Justin Bohn early in the game to defeat Southern Illinois, 2-1.

The game featured only six base hits – three for each team – and lasted just one hour and 48 minutes, the third-fastest nine-inning game in the Wild Things’ 17-year history.

Dorminy allowed three hits and two walks. He gave up one run but it was unearned.

Relievers Sam Mersing and Zach Strecker each threw a scoreless inning with Strecker getting the final three outs for his fourth save.

“Dorminy gave us exactly what we wanted and what we needed,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said.

Dorminy (2-1), who played four seasons in the San Diego Padres’ farm system, advancing to Class AA, had a rocky start in his first outing with Washington, lasting only 2 1/3 innings at Evansville, the second game of the season. He must have learned something in the time between that game and his next start because Domriny has been tremendous since, winning two in a row.

He pitched Washington to a 1-0 win over Gateway in the second game of a doubleheader May 17. In his last two starts, Dorminy has allowed only six hits, three walks and one earned run with 13 strikeouts in 13 innings.

Dorminy says it all comes back to his fastball.

“I’ve been at this a long time, and I know in that first start I wasn’t commanding my fastball,” he said. “When you can’t command the fastball, then nothing plays off it.”

Dorminy had command of all his pitches Thursday night as he had the Miners popping up, waving at pitches and hitting behind in the count.

“He made some adjustments. He has been much better the last two starts,” Langbehn said. “He’s been throwing his pitches with conviction and controlling the tempo. He doesn’t walk guys.”

The only run Southern Illinois mustered came in the second inning when Chance Shepard led off by reaching second base on a rare throwing error by third baseman Mike Hill and scoring on a single by Joe Dudek, who had two of the Miners’ three hits. Dudek’s RBI gave Southern Illinois a 1-0 lead but it lasted only four batters.

Roa, the Wild Things’ right fielder, hit a solo homer off a changeup from Encina (0-2) to left field in the bottom of the second to tie the score.

Bohn, the Wild Things’ shortstop who was activated off the disabled list Wednesday, gave Washington a 2-1 lead in the third inning when he hit a long home run to left centerfield, just to the right of the scoreboard.

Washington had only one hit the rest of the way – a fifth-inning single by Hill – against Encina and reliever Kyle Tinius. Encina gave up three hits and struck out seven over seven innings.

Over the three-game series, Southern Illinois pitchers gave up only four runs and issued just two walks.

“That was a well-pitched series,” Langbehn said. “Pitching has been dominating for the last week. We’re getting pitched backwards, not seeing many fastballs.”

Southern Illinois had one last threat in the seventh, when Anthony Critelli singled with two outs and Dorminy walked Marc DiLeo. Luis Jean then popped out to end the inning and Dorminy turned the game over to the bullpen.

Extra bases

Washington begins a three-game weekend series at home tonight against the Florence Freedom. It was Florence that knocked the Wild Things out of the Frontier League playoffs last season. … The Wild Things lead the league with 14 home runs.