Bullpen can’t protect lead as Wild Things lose, 8-5
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – The Wild Things had another bullpen meltdown Saturday night and it cost them a win.
Washington led Schaumburg by four runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, then gave up seven runs over the next four outs and lost to the Boomers, 8-5, before 6,132 at Wintrust Field.
Washington starter Kobe Foster stymied Schaumburg over six strong innings. The lefty gave up only three hits and a first-inning run. He walked four and struck out two. Foster was pulled after throwing 91 pitches.
With Washington leading 5-1, reliever Jackson Hicks replaced Foster and retired the first two batters of the seventh before hitting Alec Craig in the leg with a pitch. That was followed by a walk and an RBI single.
Ryan Chasse replaced Hicks and faced three batters, but he gave up a run-scoring single, an RBI double and a walk. Chad Coles replaced Chasse and was able to get the final out of the inning as Washington held a 5-4 lead after seven innings.
Jacob McCaskey (0-2), who was activated off the injured list before the game, entered to pitch the bottom of the eighth. McCaskey gave up a leadoff single and Satchell Norman followed by dropping down a bunt that was fielded by third baseman Tommy Caufield, whose throw to second base sailed wide and into right centerfield for an error. A sacrifice fly tied the score at 5-5 and after a two walks and a wild pitch, Anthony Colarco smacked a two-run double that put the Boomers ahead, 7-5. Schaumburg added an insurance run on a wild pitch.
Washington had forged its early lead on a two-run homer by Andrew Czech, two RBI from Tyreque Reed and a run-scoring double by Robert Chayka.