Aug 7, 2024 By Chris Dugan 4 min read

During their surge to the top of the Frontier League standings, the Wild Things haven’t needed much help. The Florence Y’alls, however, gave them plenty Tuesday night.

Zach Kirby struck out a career-high nine, and Washington’s offense had its biggest inning of the season as the Wild Things defeated error-prone Florence 8-3. It was Washington’s 50th victory of the season and extended the Wild Things’ winning streak to nine games.

“It was a good start to the series, a good milestone and we’ll go out and try to get No. 51 (Wednesday),” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said.

Washington (50-22) broke a 1-1 tie by sending 13 batters to the plate in the fourth inning and scoring seven runs.

That was more than enough offense for Kirby (7-4) and two relievers, who held the Y’alls to three hits.

Though he allowed only two hits over seven innings, it wasn’t an easy night for Kirby. The righthander took the mound just after 7 p.m. and began his warmup pitches. Before he completed them, rain started falling, so hard that the umpires pulled the teams off the field before the game officially started.

Kirby had to wait out a 59-minute rain delay before returning to the mound to throw the game’s first pitch.

“He was heated up,” Vaeth said. “They kept stretching him in the trainer’s room. I finally chased him back onto the field at about 7:40 and told him to get moving around. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but he’s young. He’s not old like me.”

The score was tied 1-1 when Washington scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. Washington had only five hits in the big inning but Florence helped with two walks, a hit batsman and a costly error.

Brandon McIlwain led off the inning with a triple to the wall in right centerfield off Florence starter Reed Smith (6-2) and scored on Ethan Wilder’s single up the middle, giving the Wild Things a 2-1 lead.

After a sacrifice bunt by Ricardo Sanchez, the game swung on a simple grounder back to the pitcher’s mound off the bat of Washington’s Robert Chayka. Smith snagged the ball and had Wilder caught between second and third. He appeared to be an easy out going to third base, but Smith’s throw to Brian Fuentes sailed high and wide, into the visitor’s bullpen as Wilder scored.

Florence entered the game last in the league in fielding percentage and committed three errors. They had another play that could have easily been scored an error, plus eight walks, a hit batsman and three wild pitches, including one on a third strike.

Before the big inning ended, Jalen Miller had a two-run single to left field, Wagner Lagrange had an RBI single, Wilder was hit by a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded and Sanchez followed with a walk that forced in a run.

Kirby gave up a solo home run to catcher Sergio Gutierrez to start the fifth, but that was Florence’s last hit until the ninth inning.

Kirby, who is in his second year with the Wild Things, finished strong, striking out the final four batters he faced. He is fifth in the league in ERA at 2.34.

“He has a feel for the league now,” Vaeth said. “Though the success he had last year didn’t translate into wins, he wasn’t giving up runs. He’s a lot more confident this year. He’s also rested. He had a long season last year because he played college ball. Knowing the league and being better rested has made a big difference for him.”

Brendan Nail pitched the eighth inning and Justin Goossen-Brown tossed the ninth. Washington pitchers struck out 12.

Extra bases

Florence relief pitcher Matt Fernandez is a rookie out of Pitt. He pitched three shutout innings, allowing two hits. … Washington had 13 hits. Center fielder Caleb McNeely was 3-for-5. … Former Wild Things pitcher Ryan Hennen, who was the 2021 Frontier League Pitcher of the Year, was released Tuesday by the Baltimore Orioles. Hennen was playing for Class AA Bowie. Hennen had a 4-2 record, one save and 5.03 ERA in 26 relief appearances for the BaySox. … The Frontier League’s transactions deadline is Monday.