McNeely injured as Wild Things’ streak ends
The last thing the Wild Things wanted to encounter at this point in the season is an injury to a key player.
So it was a little unnerving when Washington manager Tom Vaeth and trainer Hailey Drollinger trotted onto the field only four pitches into the game Wednesday evening against Florence.
Vaeth and Drollinger weren’t there to check on Washington’s starting pitcher Dariel Fregio. He was fine and turned in another quality start.
The manager and trainer were instead checking on center fielder Caleb McNeely, who had robbed Florence’s Ed Johnson, the Y’alls’ leadoff hitter, of an extra-base hit by making a sensational catch as he crashed into the outfield wall. McNeely’s face hit the wall where one of its metal support poles is positioned. The result was a busted lip and mouth.
“His face hit a horizontal beam and it split his lip,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth explained. “I’m sure he’ll need some stitch work.”
McNeely entered the day leading the Frontier League in home runs (16) and RBI (61). He left the game and was taken to a local hospital.
It was bad omen for the Wild Things, who had their nine-game winning streak unravel as Florence rallied for a 7-5 victory before a crowd of 2,222.
“I wasn’t expecting everything to break our way these last few weeks,” Vaeth said. “We’ll see how bad it is when he gets back from the emergency room.”
Washington led 5-2 after five innings and 5-3 in the seventh, when Florence scored four times against Wild Things relievers to take the lead.
The Wild Things strung together four consecutive hits in the fifth, when they scored three runs against Florence reliever Ross Thompson. Tommy Caufield singled and scored on a Jalen Miller double. Tyreque Reed followed with an RBI singled up the middle and Wagner’s LaGrange’s double moved Miller to third base, but it would be Washington’s final hit until a Carson Clowers single with one out in the ninth. Reed scored on a sacrifice fly by Brandon McIlwain that made the score 5-2.
Florence got within striking distance with an RBI single by Brian Fuentes in the sixth. Fregio exited after six innings with a 5-3 lead. He gave up five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five.
Nick MacDonald (3-1) replaced Fregio in the seventh and gave up a leadoff homer to T.J. Reeves, his 16th on the season that tied McNeely for the league lead. Following two outs, Thomas Jones walked and Dalton Davis, Florence’s No. 9 hitter, singled.
“That seventh inning, we couldn’t get ahead of guys,” Vaeth said. “We pitched from behind in the count.”
Christian James then replaced MacDonald and a single by Johnson loaded the bases.
Craig Massey, the Y’alls’ most experienced hitter, then slapped a two-run go-ahead single through the right side of the infield. A wild pitch enabled Johnson to score and make it 7-5.
Carter Poiry (2-2) pitched two shutout innings and was the winning pitcher. Kent Klyman struck out three Washington hitters in the ninth for his fourth save. Stephen Hrustich hit a solo homer in the second inning on a 3-0 pitch from Fregio.
Extra bases
Washington’s 8-3 win Tuesday night was its 50th win in 72 games. That’s the fastest in franchise history that Washington has reached 50 wins. In both 2002 and 2022, the Wild Things won their 50th in their 75th game. … Washington first baseman Andrew Czech sat out his second consecutive game. … The three runs yielded by MacDonald were his first allowed since June 26.