Wild Things have streak end, get swept by Sussex County
AUGUSTA, N.J. – The Wild Things’ seven-game winning streak came unraveled Tuesday night.
Sussex County, the team Washington is chasing in the Frontier League’s Northeast Division, swept a doubleheader against the Wild Things, 4-3 and 3-0, at Skylands Stadium.
The two losses drop Washington to 6½ games behind the first-place Miners. Sussex County (37-22) has the largest lead of any first-place team in the four divisions.
In the opener, Daniel Herrera drove in two runs with a single and Sussex County took advantage of two Washington errors to score two unearned runs.
Washington took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a RBI double by Bralin Jackson that scored Andrew Sohn. Herrera’s single capped a three-run second inning for Sussex County against Washington starting pitcher Alex Boshers (1-1). A single by Martin Figueroa, an error and a sacrifice fly by Cito Culver pushed the Miners’ lead to 4-1 in the third.
The Wild Things closed to within 4-3 in the fifth. Hector Roa and Trevor Casanova singled to knock out Sussex County starting pitcher Gavin Sonnier. Casanova went 3-for-3. Nick Ward delivered a two-run, two out single off reliever Danny Zardon (2-1).
Washington had a runner at third base in both the sixth and seventh innings but couldn’t come up with the key hit that would have tied the score.
Sussex County wasted no time in taking the lead in the nightcap. Chuck Taylor homered off Washington starter McKenzie Mills (3-5) two batters into the bottom of the first inning. A throwing error helped the Miners make it 2-0 in the first, and a sacrifice fly by Taylor gave Sussex County a three-run lead in the second inning.
That was all the support Dewayne Marshall (1-0) and two relievers needed. They combined on a five-hit shutout with Marshall throwing the first five innings.
Jackson had two hits for Washington.
Michael Mediavilla pitched the final inning in each game and now has 12 saves.
Because of the pandemic, the Frontier League had to rework its schedule this spring and it left the Wild Things and Miners, though in the same division, playing only nine times all season, with all nine being played in Augusta, N.J. Sussex County has won each of the first four games played in the series, which resumes Wednesday night.