Heyman’s blast, Ward’s hit give Wild Things new life
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Wild Things players converge to shower teammate Nick Ward in celebration of his game-winning hit in Game 2 of a playoff series against Quebec. Ward drove in Joe Campagna from third base, giving Washington a 4-3 victory.
Drenched and exhausted, Nick Ward salutes the fans after his game-winning base hit in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Wild Things’ Frontier League playoff game Sept. 15 against Quebec.
Mark Marietta/ For the Observer-Reporter
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Wild Things shortstop Nick Ward is embraced by teammates in a postgame celebration after his game-winning base hit in the Frontier League playoff game against Quebec on Wednesday at Wid Things Park. Ward's base hit drove in Joe Campagna from third base, giving Washington a 4-3 victory and a 1-1 tie in the best-of-5 playoff series.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Grant Heyman returns from rounding the bases with a two-run homer that tied the score in the eighth inning Wednesday against Quebec.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington catcher Trevor Casanova reacts after hitting a leadoff double in the ninth inning Wednesday against Quebec in game 2 of a Frontier League playoff series. Washington won 4-3 to even the series, 1-1. Game 3 is Friday in Quebec City.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Hector Roa, left, meets his teammate Grant Heyman for a mid-air celebration after heyman hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning Wednesday.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The Wild Things’ B.J. Sabol was the winning pitcher in two of the last four games of Washington’s playoff series against Quebec. The Wild Things play Game 1 of the Frontier League championship series tonight at Schaumburg.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Third baseman Joe Campagna hit 11 home runs for the Wild Things in 2021.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
With his teammate waiting at third base, Washington's Nick Ward slaps a base hit that drives in Joe Campagna, breaking a ninth inning 3-3 tie and winning the Frontier League playoff game Wednesday against Quebec.
Having been throttled to the tune of only one run over the first 16 innings of their playoff series against Équipe Quebec, the Wild Things were in desperate need of a spark late in Game 2 Wednesday afternoon.
Washington trailed 3-1 in the eighth inning and was looking at the likelihood of falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-5 playoff series if things didn’t change quickly.
Right fielder Bralin Jackson gave Washington a glimmer of hope when he drew a four-pitch, two-out walk off Quebec reliever Andrew Case. Left fielder Grant Heyman then provided the much-needed spark, hitting a game-tying two-run homer to center field.
“That wasn’t a spark,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “That was a forest fire.”
It was the first sign of life from the Wild Things in the series and just what Washington needed to set up a bizarre ninth inning, complete with a power failure that knocked out the scoreboard and stadium lights at Wild Things Park.
When it ended, Washington shortstop Nick Ward had bounced a book-rule double over the wall in left centerfield, driving in third baseman Joe Campagna and giving Washington a much-needed 4-3 come-from-behind victory.
The series, now tied 1-1, shifts to Quebec City for Game 3 Friday night. Daren Osby (6-4) is scheduled to pitch for the Wild Things against Quebec lefty Miguel Cienfuegos (9-6).
To pull even, Washington had to get strong pitching from starter Ryan Hennen, reliever Ben Vicini and winner B.J. Sabol. The Wild Things also had to overcome a couple of offensive miscues and take advantage of a costly errant pickoff throw by Quebec.
“Any comeback win is a good win,” Vaeth said. “We didn’t quit. We didn’t get down on ourselves and I don’t think we were pressing.”
But the Wild Things were frustrated, especially after Gift Negeope, the former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder, hit a solo home run off Hennen leading off the seventh inning and giving Quebec a 3-1 lead.
“One word we’ve used since Day One around here is grind,” Vaeth said. “You have to grind. To win a championship, you have to grind for it.”
Heyman hit his game-tying home run off to the right of the batter’s eye in center field. Quebec center fielder Jonathan Lacroix went back to the wall and tried to make a leaping catch, reaching over the wall, but the ball just cleared his glove.
And just like that, the score was 3-3 and for the first time in the series the Wild Things had momentum.
“That was huge,” Ward said. “We needed some spark and that home run got our spirits back in it. That guy (Heyman) came through when we needed it.”
Sabol, who was been tremendous over the last month of the regular season, retired Quebec in order in the top of the ninth, which set up the frantic bottom of the inning, which started with the lights in the ballpark going off.
Catcher Trevor Casanova hit a leadoff double off the wall in left centerfield. Campagna was then asked to bunt. After missing the bunt sign on the first pitch, Campagna bunted the next offering back to Case, who fired to third base in time to get Casanova, who slid in headfirst and collided hard with third baseman Jesse Hodges.
Not executing the sacrifice didn’t hurt the Wild Things. That’s because, with Andrew Czech batting, Quebec catcher Jeffry Parra tried to pick off Campagna. The throw deflected off the glove of first baseman Connor Panas and rolled down the right-field line. Campagna got to his feet and hustled all the way to third base.
“I was trying to draw a throw,” Campagna pointed out. “When the throw got past (Panas), I was thinking third base. That’s a tough throw backpick throw to first base, especially around a big guy like Czech.”
Czech was intentionally walked and Quebec brought sidearmer Marshall Shill in to pitch to Ward, who hit a pitch to the gap in left centerfield that bounced over the wall and set off a raucous celebration by the home team.
“We came here knowing we were going to see (Rob) Whalen and Hennen, so we knew how difficult it would be to win two games,” Quebec manager Pat Scalabrini said. “It was our goal to steal one of two and take the series back home to our fans. It’s disappointing to lose the second one, especially when we were so close.”
Just as it did in Game 1, Quebec took an early lead, scoring on doubles by L.P. Pelletier and Parra in the first inning. Washington made it 1-1 in the fourth with its first postseason run in 17 2/3 innings, dating back to 2018. Scotty Dubrule led off with a double off Quebec starter Codie Pavan and Hector Roa hit an RBI single.
Quebec took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, taking advantage of a throwing error by Hennen. After Ngeope’s home run in the seventh, Vicini got the final two outs of the inning and Sabol followed with two perfect innings, which included three strikeouts.
Notes
Washington will be heading north with a reworked roster. Because Canada does not permit unvaccinated people to cross the border and enter the country, the Wild Things will be without four players – two pitchers and two position players – from their 24-man roster. The Frontier League does allow the four to be temporarily replaced as long as the new players were not on a roster of another Frontier League team or other independent team this year. One of the new players is a recently released Washington Nationals player and the other three are players who appeared in games for American Association teams as replacements when those teams played in Canada. Quebec will be without Jared Mortensen, its starting pitcher in Game 1.