Jul 30, 2021 4 min read

The Tri-City ValleyCats have done a remarkable job of overcoming a bad start to the season. After winning only one of their first eight games, and four of the initial 20, Tri-City has rebounded and leads the Frontier League’s Atlantic Division.

The Wild Things, however, also know a little about turnarounds. They have climbed from nine games behind first-place Sussex County in the Northeast Division on July 4 to within striking distance of the lead today. They have done it by winning 16 of their last 23 games. Much of that good work has come at Wild Things Park and it continued Friday night.

Ryan Hennen took a shutout into the seventh inning, designated hitter Hector Roa went 4-for-4 and right fielder Bralin Jackson drove in three runs as Washington defeated Tri-City 9-2 before 2,804, the largest and most enthusiastic crowd of the season.

The Wild Things (29-27) have won 13 of their last 15 home games.

“The biggest reason for that is chemistry,” Roa explained. “Everyone knows their role on the team and is keeping it simple and executing.

“It’s a big help when you have a crowd like tonight. When you have people screaming and supporting you, it makes you want to play even harder.”

Washington scored in four of the first five innings against Tri-City starter Erick Heredia (0-2), who threw 109 pitches in five frames. He yielded seven runs, eight hits, six walks and hit a batter.

Second baseman Scotty Dubrule had a two-out single in the first inning and scored when Jackson doubled off the center field wall.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the second as Washington scored twice with only one hit, a perfect bunt single up the third-base line by catcher Cody Young. The Wild Things took advantage of three walks by Heredia and two Tri-City errors, including a dropped fly ball in right field by former major leaguer Willy Garcia. First baseman Andrew Czech had a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk by center fielder Cam Phelts pushed in the inning’s second run.

Washington broke the game open by scoring three runs in the fourth. A sacrifice fly by Jackson scored Nick Ward, Grant Heyman’s double off the right-field wall drove in Phelts and a single up the middle by Roa made it 6-0.

Ward singled with two outs in the fifth, stole second base and scored on a ground-ball single by Phelts to push the advantage to 7-0.

That was more than enough for Hennen (7-2), who struck out nine and walked only one in 6 1/3 innings.

“That was a great game by Hennen,” Roa said. “From the first inning he came in throwing strikes and executed his pitches.”

The rookie lefthander lost his shutout bid in the seventh. Juan Silverio led off with a single and shortstop Nelson Molina followed with a home run down the right-field line that hit off the top row of advertising signs.

Dan Kubiak relieved Hennen and struck out three of the six batters he faced over 1 2/3 innings. Alex Boshers pitched the ninth inning.

The Wild Things, who finished with 12 hits, drew eight walks and had two batters hit by pitches. Jackson had an RBI single in the seventh and Czech delivered an RBI groundout in the eighth.

Extra bases

Ward drew three walks to raise his league-leading total to 46. He has 14 multi-walk games. … Garcia, who played 44 games for the Chicago White Sox in 2017, is one of two ex-major leaguers on the ValleyCats’ roster. Denis Phipps, who started in left field, was with the Cincinnati Reds in 2012. … Tri-City won five of six against Washington in Troy, N.Y.