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Traveling Greys upend Wild Things

3 min read
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They are the Frontier League team without a home, that never bats in the bottom of the ninth inning, that boards the bus every three days and moves on to the next city. Because of those obstacles, the Empire State Greys are expected to win about as often a homecoming football game opponent.

The Greys’ season began with spring training about 40 days ago in Tupper Lake, N.Y., and they’ve been on the road ever since. They even had their team bus break down. It’s the kind of travel schedule that only an up-and-coming rock band or a minor-league baseball team could survive.

This is the second season for the traveling Greys, whose mystery tour, which was anything but magical last year when they won only six games. That’s right, 6-90 in their debut season.

Into this mess walked former Wild Things manager Mark Mason. The 62-year-old Canonsburg native knows how to put together a winning baseball team. He managed York to a championship in the Atlantic League and he’s also not new to the season-on-the-road gig. In 2005, he kept the traveling Ohio Valley Redcoats in the Frontier League playoff hunt into August before wearing out and finishing with a 46-49 record.

In Mason’s first season as manager, the Greys have already eclipsed their wins total of last summer and added to it Friday night when they thumped the Wild Things, 8-4, in a series opener.

“I asked some people in the league office what the word was on us, and they said, ‘We’re scary.'” Mason said. “I think we’ve surprised the league a little bit. We compete.”

Greys lefty Michael Barker (2-2) took a perfect game into the fifth inning and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter.

“It’s hard to score when you don’t have a hit until the fifth inning,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “(Barker) was just beating us with fastballs. It’s like watching the same episode of ‘All in the Family’ for the 100th time. It’s the same thing over and over. We get off to a bad start and fall behind early.”

The Greys scored four runs in the third and three more in the fourth, all against Washington starter Robert Gonzalez (0-1).

Right fielder Quentin Holmes, a former second-round draft pick of the Cleveland Guardians, and third baseman Josue Herrera led the Greys’ 12-hit attack, combining for four hits, four runs and three RBI. They had three of the Greys’ five extra-base hits.

After falling behind 8-0, Washington scored three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. Melvin Novoa had a run-scoring double in the sixth. Washington’s final run scored on a balk.

“All we can do is hope we get better,” Vaeth said. “Right now, I’m not seeing it getting batter.

“We’re still going to roll with my guys and hope they figure it out, get through this stretch we’re in. There are some things to be optimistic about.”

Notes

Washington traded outfielder/pitcher Brett Carson to the Rocky Mountain Vibes of the Pioneer League in exchange for a player to be named. The Wild Things signed outfielder/pitcher Jake Cone, a rookie out of James Madison University. Cone pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

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