May 21, 2022 4 min read

The Wild Things’ 3-2 victory Saturday night over the Empire State Greys proved to Washington manager Tom Vaeth that multiple things need to change with his team.

The first makeover is that powerful first baseman Ramon Osuna needs to have his name put on the lineup card more frequently. Osuna, who was making only his third start of the season, hit his second home run in as many nights, a game-winning two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning that yanked the Greys’ first victory of the season from their grasp.

With Empire State leading 2-1, the left-handed swinging Osuna, who started at designated hitter, hit the first pitch from Greys reliever Jesus Rosario (0-1) the opposite way, to left field. Just like his impressive home to center field Friday night, Osuna’s blast was more of a line drive than a fly ball and it carried over the outfield wall for an unexpected gut-punch to the Greys.

The home run drove in first baseman Andrew Czech, who started the inning by drawing a walk and moved to third base when a low Rosario pitch eluded catcher Miguel Molina. As the loose ball skipped through the Wild Things’ on-deck circle, Molina had trouble locating it and Czech scampered from first base all the way to third.

With one out and Czech still at third base, Osuna stepped into the batter’s box.

“With a runner on third base and less than two outs, you want to be aggressive and get the job done as early as you can. I was sitting on a fastball. I knew (Rosario) wanted to get ahead in the count and would probably throw a fastball,” Osuna explained.

Rosario delivered an outside fastball and the 250-pound Osuna, who has spent three years playing in Mexican League, powered it out of the ballpark.

“He has obviously put in the work in the weight room,” Vaeth said. “And he had been playing in a good league the last couple of years. There are a lot of good players in that league. So he has experience. I have to figure out a way to get him in the lineup more often. Every time we’ve put him in the lineup, he’s answered the bell.”

The second change Vaeth would like to see, and the first one he spoke about after the game, was his team’s preparedness. He wasn’t happy with the team’s readiness one night after beating the Greys 9-1.

“A win is a win, and you’re never going to be disappointed with a win,” Vaeth said, “but we have a lot of work to do, a lot of maturing to do at the ballpark.

“I don’t think we were ready to play today and into the game mentally. It has been a disturbing trend already that every time we blow out a team the next night we sleepwalk through the game. You can’t be a good club and do that.”

Washington was in position to win because it had good pitching all night. Former Point Park standout Nick Beardsley made his first start with the Wild Things and pitched five innings, leaving with the score tied 1-1.

Micky Foytik, who pitched for the Black Sox in an exhibition game against the Wild Things earlier this month, was signed by Washington on Saturday to fill an open roster spot. He followed Beardsley with two shutout innings.

Christian James (1-0) pitched the eighth but gave up a one-out solo home run to Greys third baseman Willie Estrada that gave Empire State a 2-1 lead. It was the first run James allowed in five appearances.

Extra bases

Washington has won three in a row and returned to the .500 mark with a 4-4 record. … Empire State assistant coach Eddie Gonzalez was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes. … Wagner Lagrange’s sacrifice fly in the first inning scored Cole Brannen and gave Washington a 1-0 lead.