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Wild Things’ late-game struggles continue

5 min read
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Wild Things manager Tom Vaeth is fond of saying that a baseball team has either winning habits or losing habits.

Washington sure has developed a string of losing habits in the past two weeks. The Wild Things are finding ways to lose games at an alarming rate and in some of the most excruciating and unlikely ways possible.

After losing games each of the two previous nights, when they squandered leads of four and six runs, each in the final inning, the Wild Things opened a homestand Friday night with another last-inning meltdown.

After taking a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run double by Tristan Peterson, Washington squandered the lead again in the ninth, giving up three unearned runs and lost, 6-4, to the Schaumburg Boomers.

After a fielding error on a ground ball with two outs kept the ninth inning alive for the Boomers, and a wild pitch by reliever Christian James (0-3) allowed Kyle Fitzgerald to race home from third base and tie the score.

Blake Berry then ripped a two-run triple into the gap in left centerfield, scoring Brett Milazzo and Chase Dawson, putting Schaumburg up 6-4.

It was the third day in a row that the Wild Things lost after being less than three strikes away from a victory.

Schaumburg had taken a 3-2 lead in the sixth on a throwing error that allowed two runs to score.

Washington battled back and took the lead in eighth. Scotty Dubrule hit a one-out single and Andrew Czech walked with two outs. Peterson, who was 13-for-25 with four doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI over his last six games, then dropped a two-run double into the left-field corner, putting the Wild Things up, 4-3.

Schaumburg argued that the ball Peterson hit had landed in foul territory, but after discussing the play the umpires ruled that the ball was indeed fair.

Then the bottom fell out for the Wild Things in the final inning.

Again.

It was their league-high 12th blown save of the season.

The loss wasted what was a quality start by Washington’s Hayden Shenefield, who scattered seven hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings. Shenefield left the game after warming up for the top of the seventh inning. He signaled for the trainer after throwing a pitch.

Schaumburg leadoff hitter Gaige Howard and Zach Huffins, the No. 2 batter in the lineup, each were ejected by home-plate umpire Wes Dunkle for arguing called third strikes. Howard was ejected in the fifth inning and Howard in the seventh.

Gotta to IL

Washington placed shortstop Nick Gotta on the 14-day injured list retroactive to Thursday.

Gotta suffered a knee injury in a collision with Peterson while chasing a popup in a game Wednesday at New York.

Not only is Washington losing its shortstop but the Wild Things are minus their leadoff hitter as well. Gotta has a .306 batting average, a .399 on-base percentage, 10 doubles, three triples and 13 stolen bases in 39 games. He also has played solid defense.

The IL move was one of several roster transactions made Friday by the Wild Things. They signed right-handed pitcher Chance Benton and infielder Dylan Broderick and acquired right-handed pitcher Jack Dellinger from Quebec as the player to be named in the trade that sent Kenny Pierson to the Capitales in May.

Benton played college ball at Florida A&M and spent 2022 in the independent Pioneer League, playing for two teams and compiling a 3-3 record with three saves in 25 relief appearances.

Broderick played at Pitt-Johnstown and was a first team all-PSAC West Player this spring when he batted a team-best .381 with eight home runs and 11 stolen bases. Broderick walked 19 more times than he struck out.

Dellinger had a 1-0 record and 5.74 ERA in nine outings (five starts) with Quebec. Vaeth said he sees Dellinger as a starting pitcher with the Wild Things.

Catcher Melvin Novoa, who left the Wild Things last week to play for Nicaragua in a Pan-Am Games qualifier is expected back Tuesday for a series opener against Windy City.

Matson makes 10

Former Wild Things relief pitcher Isaac Matson was signed last week by the Minnesota Twins organization.

Matson played the second half of last year with Washington after being released by the Baltimore Orioles and became the second former major leaguer to play for Wild Things. The former Pitt standout was called up to the major leagues in 2021, appearing in four games for the Orioles.

Matson pitched in 12 games for the Wild Things and had a 1-0 record and 2.51 ERA.

This year, Matson was playing for Southern Maryland in the independent Atlantic League when he had his contract purchased by the Twins. Matson has been assigned to Class AA Wichita of the Texas League.

With the addition of Matson, there are currently 10 former Wild Things in the affiliated minor leagues.

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