Wild Things win 4th straight, and in unusual fashion
At first glance, the Wild Things’ 7-3 victory Saturday night over Windy City seemed rather routine and to have all the trappings of Washington games this year.
The Wild Things again had good pitching for nine innings, and they spent much of the night stranding baserunners while waiting for that one key hit that would bury the opponent, which has been a troubling trend. Washington extended its winning streak to four games and remained a half-game behind first-place Lake Erie in the Frontier League’s West Division.
That key hit finally came in the seventh inning, and it came from an unlikely source, shortstop Carson Clowers, the No. 9 hitter in the batting order. That was one of many not-so-ordinary facets of this ballgame. Some of the others were:
* Washington scored one run on a strikeout/wild pitch and another when Windy City’s catcher dropped a throw from the outfield for what would have been an easy out at home plate.
* Windy City scored its first two runs when Washington first baseman Andrew Czech’s throw to second on a potential double play grounder deflected off the shoulder of Windy City’s Christian Kuzemka and ricocheted into the outfield.
* Washington starting pitcher Dariel Fregio (6-2) had seven strikeouts in six innings. Two of the strikeouts came when Windy City center fielder Cam Phelts had two-strike bunt attempts bounce foul. Phelts also popped out to the catcher on another bunt attempt.
Washington stranded eight baserunners through the first four innings but led 3-0.
“Runs are not coming easily,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “It has been difficult putting runs on the scoreboard and difficult getting clutch hits.”
Washington did get a leadoff triple in the second inning from Brandon McIlwain, who scored on an RBI groundout by Ethan Wilder. In the third inning, Tommy Caufield was hit by a pitch from Windy City starter Ruddy Gomez (0-3), and Czech and McIlwain singled to load the bases with one out. Wilder singled to score Caufield and make the score 2-0.
Gomez then struck out the next two batters, but the third strike to Ricardo Sanchez, which should have ended the inning, skipped past catcher J.J. Figueroa, allowing Czech to race home and make it a 3-0 game.
That was enough offense for Fregio and three relievers. Fregio gave up six hits and two runs (one earned).
“We’re definitely grinding and finding ways to win,” Vaeth said. “We keep getting good pitching.”
Windy City closed to within 3-2 in the sixth, taking advantage of Czech’s throwing error. Washington, however, got the key hit it needed in the seventh inning.
Tommy Caufield started the seventh by hitting a deep fly ball to right field that the ThunderBolts’ Brennen Dorighi didn’t initially see the ball come off the bat. By the time he located the baseball, Dorighi was unable to catch it before it hit off the outfield wall as Caufield pulled into second base with a double.
Two outs later, Wilder drew a walk and Robert Chayka hit a bouncer up the middle, scoring Caufield. Pinch-hitter J.C. Santini walked to load the bases and Clowers delivered the key hit, a ball down the right-field line that scored Wilder and Chayka. Santini tried to score on the play and would have been an easy out but Figueroa dropped the throw from the outfield. Santini scored to make it a 7-2 game.
The ThunderBolts scored a run in the eighth on an RBI single by Armando Albert.
“Our roster is filled with a lot of talent,” Vaeth said. “We have good players. We’re at the top of the league in fielding percentage and our pitching is near the top. When you have those two things, then you give yourself a chance to win. When you do that, anything can happen.”