Gateway completes sweep of Wild Things
Caufield has 5-hit game in loss
SAUGET, Ill. – The Wild Things are in the midst of a season-long 10-game road trip. It is not going well.
Gateway overcame a four-run deficit and beat self-destructive Washington 6-4 Thursday night to complete a three-game series sweep.
Washington has gone 2-5 on the road trip and its three-game losing streak is the longest of the season.
The Wild Things begin a weekend series Friday night in Pearl, Miss., against one of the Frontier League’s two first-year teams, the Mississippi Mud Monsters.
The loss to Gateway, combined with Lake Erie’s series sweep of Joliet, trimmed Washington’s lead over the Crushers at the top of the Central Division to only a half-game.
The Wild Things led Gateway 4-0 in the third inning but were their own worst enemy in the game. Three times they had a baserunner thrown out trying to steal second base, had another picked off first base and hit into two double plays. Also, while trailing 5-4 in the eighth, Washington had runners on first and third with one out and didn’t score. Kadon Morton struck out and on the pitch Ethan Wilder was thrown out trying to steal second base. Another strikeout ended the threat.
In the ninth, down by two runs, Washington had Jeff Liquori at third base and Tommy Caufield at second with two outs but a strikeout ended the game.
Caufield a huge night, going 5-for-5 and hitting a solo home run that gave Washington a 1-0 lead. The grew to 4-0 in the third after a two-run single by Tyreque Reed and an RBI double by Andrew Czech.
Gateway scored one run in the third against Washington starter Sebastian Rodriguez (0-1) and took the lead with a four-run fourth. In the fourth, Rodriguez hit two consecutive batters to start the inning ahead of an RBI single by Abdiel Diaz and a two-run double by Cole Brannen that tied the score. The Grizzlies went ahead when Jose Alvarez singled home Brannen.
Gateway added an insurance run in the eighth inning.
Claudio Galva (3-1) was the winning pitcher in relief. Keegan Collett pitched the ninth inning for his sixth save.
Rodriguez gave up eight hits and five runs over six innings. He struck out six.