Aug 7, 2021 4 min read

If you’re only going to generate seven hits, then you might as well make the most of them. That’s what the New Jersey Jackals did Saturday night as the Wild Things’ home winning streak came to an end.

New Jersey hit four solo home runs — two by leadoff hitter Todd Isaacs — and the Jackals defeated Washington, 4-2.

The Wild Things squandered a chance to gain a game on first-place Sussex County in the Northeast Division standings. Sussex County lost 12-2 at Tri-City. The Wild Things remain 3½ games behind the Miners.

Washington also had a 10-game winning streak against New Jersey end, and its seven-game home winning streak was snapped.

The Wild Things had to play catch-up all night because Isaacs hit a leadoff home run, his sixth of the season, in the first inning off Washington starter Keven Pimentel (6-5) and the Jackals never trailed. Isaacs hit his seventh home run in his next at-bat, in the third inning. It was the left fielder’s second two-home run game, both coming at Wild Things Park. He had not homered since the two round-trippers July 6.

“There must be something in the water in Washington, Pennsylvania that is treating me right,” Isaacs said.

His manager had a better explanation for Isaacs’ success in the Wild Things’ home ballpark.

“Some players see the ball better in certain parks. That’s the only logical explanation I have,” New Jersey’s manager Brooke Carey said. “For example, our catcher, Jason Agresti, must be hitting at least .500 at (New York). Of course, it helps when you’re able to hit two hanging breaking pitches out of the park.”

Washington didn’t see the ball well all night. The Wild Things’ hitters seemed off balance against the assortment of pitches from New Jersey starter Ricky Knapp (1-0), who was acquired Tuesday by the Jackals in a trade with a team from another independent league.

Knapp, a former eighth-round draft pick and top-20 prospect in the New York Mets’ farm system, went seven innings, scattering six hits and yielding only one unearned run. Eleven of the first 16 outs against Knapp came on ground balls.

“I knew what we were going to see from him,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “I gave them the best scouting report I could. I am familiar with him from his days with Lincoln in the American Association. We knew he was going to have a three- or four-pitch mix. His curveball was good tonight.”

After Isaacs gave New Jersey a 2-0 lead, Washington cut the gap in half in the sixth. Andrew Sohn reached on a two-base throwing error, moved to third on a single by Scott Dubrule and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bralin Jackson.

After Washington stranded two baserunners in the seventh, Agresti homered off Wild Things reliever B.J. Sabol in the eighth to make it 3-1. Stanley Espinal hit the Jackals’ fourth solo homer, off Zach Strecker, in the ninth.

Washington pushed one run across in the ninth as Tristian Peterson’s single scored Hector Roa from second base to make it 4-2. The outcome wasn’t decided until, with two runners on base and two outs, New Jersey right fielder Josh Rehwaldt caught Nick Ward’s fly ball at the edge of the warning track.

Reece Karalus pitched the final two innings for his second save.

Pimentel, who was activated off the disabled list earlier in the day, allowed only four hits and two runs in seven innings.

“I’m going to focus on the effort Keven gave us,” Vaeth said. “He was coming off the DL after some arm trouble and he was really good.

“I’m not going to get too deep into this game. It was speed bump and we’ll come (Sunday) and try to win the series.”