Wild Things turn early start into a late win over Lake Erie
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Teammates converge to congratulate Scotty Dubrule (4) after his bases-loaded walk-off base hit that drove in the two runs the Wild Things needed to beat the visiting Lake Erie Crushers, 5-4, Tuesday afternoon.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Wild Things center fielder Cole Brannen, left, and shortstop Nick Ward (5) slide out of the way as left fielder Jared Mang catches a fly ball Tuesday against Lake Erie.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Nick Ward (5) congratulates Cole Brannen (1) as Brannen returns after hitting a two-run homer that put the Wild Things up 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning Tuesday against Lake Erie.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The throw to home plate is wide, allowing the Wild Things' Cole Brannen to score the winning run against the Lake Erie Crushers on Tuesday at Wild Things Park. Brannen and pinch-runner Chris Eusay were driven in by a walk-off base hit from Scotty Dubrule for the 5-4 victory.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The throw to the plate is not in time for Wild Things catcher Alex Alvarez to tag Lake Erie's Kenen Irizarry (22) as he scores after rounding the bases on a deep fly that became an error, putting the Crushers up 4-2 in the ninth inning.
The Wild Things’ hitters must not be morning people.
Locked into an 11 a.m. Kids Day start for a series opener Tuesday against the Lake Erie Crushers, the Wild Things, who lead the Frontier League in batting average and are second in runs, had their lumber in a slumber for eight innings and faced a two-run deficit with three outs remaining.
The Wild Things got their wakeup call just in time.
Washington scored one run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a throwing error and Scotty Dubrule smacked a two-run single to left field, scoring pinch-runner Chris Eusay and Cole Brannen, to give the Wild Things a 5-4 win on a sun-baked day.
“That was fun,” Dubrule said. “That’s the most fun I’ve had. It was a perfect day for a walk-off win.”
It was the second consecutive home game that Washington won with a ninth-inning comeback.
“A win is a win. You take them any time you can get them,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said.
Washington got this one with several quality at-bats in the ninth inning, a well-placed sacrifice bunt and a throwing error by the Crushers.
Lake Erie broke a 2-2 tie by scoring two runs in the top of the ninth. Washington began the bottom of the ninth with its Nos. 7-8-9 hitters due up, which typically does not fuel comebacks. This time, however, it did.
Ian Walters drew a walk off Lake Erie reliever Alexis Rivero (1-2) and Ramon Osuna was sent up to pinch-hit for catcher Alex Alvarez. Osuna also drew a walk.
Cole Brannen, who seemed to be involved in every key play in the game, then dropped down a sacrifice bunt to the third-base side. Rivero fielded the ball and had to hurry to retire the speedy Brannen. Rivero’s throw to first base bounced and kicked away, allowing Walters to score and make the score 4-3.
Osuna moved to third base on the error and Brannen ended up at second base.
“We had two great at-bats by Ian Walters and Ramon Osuna and then had an excellent bunt executed by Brannen,” Vaeth said. “We’ve been saying, all you have to do in this league is get the bunt down and there is a chance they will throw it away.”
The error turned the order over and leadoff hitter Nick Ward was up in the count 2-0 when the Crushers chose to intentionally walk him and load the bases.
Jared Mang, the hero of the sudden-death win Saturday at Schaumburg, fouled off four two-strike pitches before striking out on a foul tip.
That brought up Dubrule, who at this time last year was helping Mississippi State win the College World Series.
“I’ve been in this situation about 20 or 30 times before, failed a lot but also had some success, so I was comfortable,” Dubrule explained. “I had never faced (Rivero) before but I had noticed that he was missing up a lot, and got some guys to chase up. I got a fastball that was in the strike zone but up.”
And Dubrule did with the pitch what he has done so many times before – he smacked it the opposite way, just in front of the left fielder. Eusay, who was running for Osuna, scored easily and Brannen, the fastest player on the team, scored the game-winning run as the throw from left fielder Jake Gitter was up the third-base line.
For 8½ innings, it was a frustrating day for the Wild Things.
Lake Erie took advantage of three walks by Washington starter Thomas Hart in the fourth inning to take a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Alvarez drew a one-out walk off Lake Erie starter Matt Mulhern and Brannen followed with his first home run as a Wild Thing, a two-run shot to right field that gave Washington the lead.
In the seventh, the Crushers’ Bryan Flete hit a solo homer off Washington reliever Kenny Pierson that made it a 2-2 game.
Lake Erie took the lead in the ninth, getting a leadoff single by pinch-hitter Danny Perez off reliever Dan Kubiuk (2-2) and a sacrifice bunt by Austin White. Kenen Irizarry then singled in front of Brannen in center field and ball took a turf bounce past him and rolled all the way to the wall as Irizarry raced around the bases to give the Crushers the 4-2 lead.
Entering the bottom of the ninth, Washington had only five hits.
“That was the product of an 11 a.m. start,” Vaeth said.
Added Dubrule, “Not to throw out an excuse but 11 a.m. starts can get guys when you’re not used to them. But their pitcher did a good job of keeping us off balance for a few innings.”
Extra bases
Washington made a roster move before the game, signing former Penn State pitcher Eric Mock, who had pitched this spring for the Cleveland Guardians’ Class AAA affiliate in Columbus, Ohio. To make room for Mock, the Wild Things released former Point Park pitcher Nick Beardsley (0-1, 5.87). … Washington will get back pitcher Sandro Cabrera on Friday. Cabrera was suspended nine games for starting a benches-clearing incident with Schaumburg on June 11. … The Wild Things are expected to make another roster move involving a pitcher today.