Jul 27, 2024 By Chris Dugan 4 min read

The Wild Things suffered a gut-punch loss Friday night when the New York Boulders scored the winning run in the top of the ninth inning.

Washington’s trio of Wagner Lagrange, Tyreque Reed and Andrew Czech made sure there was no weekend hangover from that loss. They provided the perfect tonic in the first inning Saturday night and made it look as easy as 1-2-3.

Lagrange, Reed and Czech connected on back-to-back-to-back home runs, and three Washington pitchers combined on a three-hitter as the Wild Things won, 6-2.

The win, combined with victories by Evansville over Lake Erie, and Gateway over Schaumburg, puts Washington’s lead in the Frontier League West Division at 4 games over the Grizzlies and 4½ over the Crushers.

“The three big boys put together three good swings,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “All three of those guys had really good batting practices today and carried that over to the game.”

It didn’t take long for Washington to take control against New York starter Mitchell Senger (6-3). With two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the first inning, Lagrange hit a solo home run to left field, his seventh of season and 33rd of his Wild Things career.

Tyreque Reed, who has been swinging Washington’s hottest bat, followed and lined a high inside pitch from Senger over the wall in left field to make it 2-0.

Czech then fell behind in the count but got a two-strike fastball over the inside part of the plate and didn’t miss it. The lefty drove the ball off the back row of advertising signs beyond right centerfield for his 12th homer of the season and 56th as a Wild Thing.

Just like that, three swings, three consecutive home runs. It is believed to be the first time in the Wild Things’ 22-season history that they have connected for three straight home runs.

“What Wagner, Tyreque and Czech do doesn’t surprise me,” said Washington starting pitcher Malik Barrington, who was the benefactor of the home runs.

Barrington (5-3) was spectacular through seven innings, allowing only two hits and two runs (one earned). He walked three but struck out nine. Both New York runs were leadoff walks that came around to score, one on an error.

“Malik threw well,” Vaeth said. “He’s not an easy guy to hit. The problems he has are always self-inflicted.

“Nobody in this league has really hit him. He has good stuff. You don’t get sent to the Arizona Fall League if you don’t have good stuff.”

While Barrington was in the Minnesota Twins’ farm system, he pitched in seven games last year in the prestigious AFL, where many top prospects participate.

Perhaps Barrington had some extra motivation on this night. He arrived at the ballpark carrying a bouquet of roses for his girlfriend’s mother, who was celebrating her birthday at the game. The Wild Things made sure she received the flowers during a break in the action.

“Any time a guy has some extra motivation you expect good things,” Vaeth said.

New York managed to trim Washington’s early lead to 3-2 by scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Former Wild Things infielder Nick Gotta led off the fourth by drawing a walk off Barrington and scored on a sacrifice fly by David Vinsky.

In the fifth, Joe Deluca led off with a walk and Thomas Walraven followed with a single, which was New York’s final hit of the game. When Steve Barmakian tried to advance the runners with a bunt, Barrington fielded the ball but his throw to third base was wide, allowing Deluca to score. Walraven attempted to score, too, but Lagrange, Washington’s left fielder, tracked down the ball and threw out Walraven at home plate to keep the Wild Things ahead, 3-2.

Lagrange had a fine all-around game, going 3-for-3 with three RBI, a home run and outfield assist.

Washington knocked Senger out of the game with a three-run fifth. Caleb McNeely led off with a walk and moved to third on a hard-hit single by Tommy Caufield. Both runners scored on a Lagrange double. Lagrange moved up on a fielder’s choice and scored on a balk.

Nick McDonald relieved Barrington and pitched the eighth inning before Brendan Nail tossed the ninth.