May 24, 2022 4 min read

Perfect games are elusive in baseball. Not just the perfect games thrown by pitchers, but also those played by teams.

The Wild Things weren’t quite perfect but they played perhaps their most complete game of the season Tuesday night against the Tri-ValleyCats, the best and most experienced team they have played this season.

Wagner Lagrange and Ian Walters combined for three home runs and nine RBI, starting pitcher Rob Whalen pitched seven stellar innings and Washington played errorless defense to extend its winning streak to five games with a 11-2 victory.

Washington pounded out 19 hits with Lagrange and Walters leading the way. Lagrange went 3-for-5 with two home runs, three runs and four RBI. Walters went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and a game-high five RBI.

Every Washington starter had at least one hit.

“That’s the way we came out the last game at Sussex County,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “(Tri-City) is a good team over there and will be in the thick of it all year.”

The game got off to a rocky start for Washington as Tri-City first baseman Brantley Bell hit Whalen’s fifth pitch for a home run to left field. It turned out to be only a bump in the road for Whalen (2-1), who allowed four hits and two runs. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

“Rob did his thing and the offense produced,” Walters said. “That was similar to opening night (an 11-0 win over New York). Everything just clicked.”

Whalen threw only 81 pitches to get through seven innings.

“A pitcher who comes out and throws strikes, gets early contact and gets us in to hit after a fast inning gives us a chance to put up crooked numbers,” Vaeth said.

Washington didn’t trail for long. The Wild Things scored five times in the first inning against Tri-City starter Matt Mercer (0-3) and added four more in the second for the a commanding 9-1 lead. Mercer gave up nine runs on 10 hits with four walks in three innings before the ValleyCats started warming up a relief pitcher.

Lagrange hit his first home run, a three-run shot to right field, with one out in the first inning. It scored L.G. Castillo and Scotty Dubrule and gave Washington a 3-1.

The inning continued with Washington loading the bases on singles by Andrew Czech and Hector Roa and a Walters walk. Cole Brannen then beat out an infield single to score Czech and Nick Ward, batting for the second time in the inning, drew a walk that forced in a run and made the score 5-1.

Lagrange homered for the second time in as many innings with one out in the second. This home run went to right center field and made it a 6-1 game. After a single by Czech and walk to Roa, Walters hit a three-run homer to center field to push the lead to 9-1.

The Wild Things tacked on two runs in the fifth against reliever Jake Dexter. Walters drove in both runs with a one-out single.

Tri-City’s Pavin Parks hit a solo home run in the seventh.

Notes

Washington catcher Alex Alvarez was ejected by home plate umpire Matt Beaver after being called out on strikes in the fifth inning. After walking back to the ondeck circle, Alvarez turned and tossed his batting helmet in Beaver’s direction and it bounced and hit Beaver in the leg. … The game had three former major leaguers: Whalen, Tri-City left fielder Denis Phipps and designated hitter Willy Garcia. … Tri-City made news earlier this month announcing it will sign and activate former Vanderbilt standout pitcher Kumar Rocker, who was the New York Mets’ first-round draft pick (10th overall) last year. Rocker is scheduled to make his ValleyCats debut June 4 but did travel to Washington and was with the team.