Wild Things drop series opener
JOLIET, Ill. – Matt Warkentin hit a two-run homer and the Joliet Slammers defeated the Wild Things 8-3 in a series opener Tuesday night.
Joliet scored the first five runs of the game, two on the homer by Warkentin in the third inning off Washington starter Dariel Fregio (8-3).
Fregio gave up three runs on four hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six.
Joliet scored three times in the fifth, one run crossing home plate because of a balk.
Washington scored its first run in the sixth when Jalen Miller bounced into a double play.
The Slammers scored twice in the bottom of the sixth on a single by Jonathan Sierra that made it 7-1.
Baron Radcliff hit his first home run with Washington, a two-run shot in the seventh.
Landon Smiddy (1-0) pitched seven innings for the win.
The Wild Things’ lead in the Frontier League’s West Division was trimmed to six games because of Gateway’s win over Lake Erie.