Wild Things thankful for New Jersey generosity
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Andrew Czech is congratulated by manager Tom Vaeth after clubbing a home run.
Photo by Mark Marietta
Bralin Jackson shares Andrew Czech's joy after Czech hit a hime run Tuesday.
Photo by Mark Marietta
Washington second baseman Nick Ward (left) makes the throw to first base to complete a double play Tuesday.
When you are a struggling baseball team, you don’t treat a run that scores on two errors, on the same at-bat, like a small fish. You don’t throw it away.
The Wild Things will take a win any way they can get one, and they reeled in one Tuesday night in the series opener against the New Jersey Jackals.
Washington’s Adrian Gomez, who joined the team earlier in the day, came all the way around to score from first base on a bunt by Nick Ward in the bottom of the ninth, giving Washington a 5-4 victory.
The win snapped Washington’s four-game losing streak.
The Wild Things rallied from a 4-3 deficit by scoring single runs in the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, Hector Roa’s single scored Grant Heyman from second base to tie the score.
In the ninth, a bunt and two New Jersey throwing errors made the difference.
“We’ve given away enough games because of errors. It’s nice to get one back,” said Washington manager Tom Vaeth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Gomez, the Wild Things’ third baseman, led off with a single through the left side of the infield against New Jersey closer Dylan Brammer. Nick Ward was then instructed to bunt. After jumping ahead 2-0 in the count, Ward fouled off a bunt. Vaeth kept the bunt on and the Wild Things won the game on the next pitch.
“I don’t even know why (Ward) was looking at me. He was bunting to three strikes,” Vaeth explained. “If we were swinging the bats better as a team, we might have let him swing. Sometimes you have to let the game dictate what you do.”
Ward bunted the next pitch between the pitcher’s mound and home plate was fielded by Brammer, who turned and fired to second base in an attempt to retire Gomez. The throw was wide and went into shallow center field. Gomez motored to third base and Ward aggressively ran toward second base.
The throw from Jackals center fielder Demetrius Moorer hit the sliding Ward in the shoulder and kicked away, allowing Gomez to race home with the winning run.
The win came on the heels of a 1-6 road trip for Washington.
“We had a rough road trip and got a win in front of the home crowd,” Ward said. “Hopefully, we can get some momentum on our side.”
New Jersey had taken a 4-3 lead by scoring twice in the seventh.
Russ Olive had one of the best performances in the history of the Frontier League on Sunday. The New Jersey right fielder drove in nine runs in the Jackals’ win over Sussex County, belting a grand slam, three-run homer, RBI single and sacrifice fly.
But Olive was replaced in the sixth inning and his spot in the batting order rolled around in the seventh with Washington holding a 3-2 lead. With the bases loaded, Olive’s replacement, Riley Mihalek, slapped a two-run opposite-field single off Washington reliever Jesus Balaguer to give New Jersey the lead.
Washington tied it in the bottom of the eight against New Jersey reliever Reece Karalus. Heyman led off with an infield single and Andrew Czech drew a one-out walk. Roa then lined a single to left field and Heyman beat the relay throw to home plate.
New Jersey’s Todd Isaacs hit two solo home runs off Washington starter Daren Osby, including one on the first pitch of the game.
Czech, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games, hit his eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the second.
New Jersey tied the score at 2-2 in the fifth on Isaacs’ second home run, just inside the left-field foul pole.
Washington regained the lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. With Cody Erickson at third base and Ward at second, Heyman hit a chopper that traveled about 10 feet in front of home plate. New Jersey catcher Marcus Chavez and starting pitcher Chase Ingram converged on the baseball and both players hesitated a moment before attempting to pick up the ball. That hesitation was enough for Heyman to beat the throw to first base for an infield single as Erickson scored.
Washington’s Zach Strecker (1-3) pitched the ninth inning for his first win.
Notes
The Wild Things’ clubhouse door was swinging at full speed early in the day as Washington made a flurry of roster moves, several made necessary because of injuries. Washington put utilityman Joe Campagna on the 14-day disabled list with a shoulder injury and released relief pitcher Spencer Bivens. The Wild Things acquired Gomez from Gastonia of the Atlantic League in exchange for a player to be named, and signed pitcher Steven Colon and catcher Cody Young. Gomez started at third base against the Jackals and batted leadoff, going 1-for-4. … Starting pitcher Kevin McNorton remains on the 7-day DL with a shoulder injury. He was eligible to be activated Sunday. … Washington reliever James Meeker threw a scoreless eighth inning. He has not allowed a run all season, covering 17 1/3 innings.