May 26, 2019 3 min read

For the Wild Things, momentum has been elusive this season.

One night after playing its best game — and 8-2 victory — and inning — a six-run first — in an 8-2 victory over Gateway, and with a chance to win a series and consecutive games for the first time all season plus the opportunity to move out of the East Division basement, Washington fired a dud.

Gateway first baseman Jamey Smart drove in five runs and the Grizzlies cruised to a 9-1 victory over the Wild Things in the series finale Sunday.

The loss drops Washington’s record to 4-12. The Wild Things went 2-7 on the homestand.

“We’re giving up too many runs and not scoring enough,” second baseman Shaine Hughes said. “It has been a tough stretch, but we’re coming to the ballpark each day with the mindset that we’re going to win the next game and turn our season around.”

What Gateway was able to do was turn around whatever momentum Washington had built in its win Saturday night, which featured the Wild Things scoring six runs in the first inning before making an out. Four Grizzlies pitchers scattered seven hits and Gateway put together three multi-run innings.

“That first inning (Saturday) was a sign that things are turning around. We can’t look at this game as a step back,” said Hughes, who had two of Washington’s hits.

Hughes scored the Wild Things’ lone run in the fourth inning. He hit a leadoff single off Gateway starter Dominic Topoozian (1-0), who was making his season debut after being activated off the disabled list earlier in the day. Hughes advanced on a single by J.J. Fernandez and a wild pitch, then scored when Lucas Herbert grounded out.

That run cut Gateway’s lead to 2-1, but the Grizzlies promptly scored four times in the top of the fifth, knocking out Washington starter Carter Johnson (0-2). Smart capped the inning with a run-scoring single and ended any chance of a Wild Things comeback with a three-run double in the seventh off reliever James Meeker.

Smart also had an RBI single in the second inning that drove in the game’s initial run.

“We need that,” Gateway manager Phil Warren said. “They played better than us Saturday. They did everything better than us.”

This time, Gateway was the better team in all phases and continued a rough start for the Wild Things. The Grizzlies, who are much improved over last season when they went 38-58, moved back above the .500 mark at 8-7.

Washington manager Gregg Langbehn admitted during the homestand that his players are pressing too much, which has contributed to the team’s dismal start.

“Pressing is a natural thing to do,” Warren said. “Is it healthy? It can be if you recognize what areas where you can improve. Some guys can channel that pressing and get better. As manager, when you start slowly, you ask yourself, ‘Am I overconfident in the ability of my players.'”

Extra bases

Prior to the game, Washington released starting pitcher Ty Mondile and first baseman Trevor Abrams. In three outings, Mondile had an 0-2 record and 13.50 ERA. Abrams was batting .227 with one home run in seven games. By releasing two players, Washington was at the Frontier League minimum with 22 players on the active roster. … Washington begins a six-game road trip Tuesday at Evansville.