Liquori and Foster lead Wild Things to series-opening win
There was plenty happening Friday night at EQT Park that wasn’t easy to explain.
Jeff Liquori can’t explain why it’s happening, but the Wild Things right fielder hopes the trend continues for the remainder of the season.
Liquori continued his torrid and productive hitting against Evansville by belting a three-run homer in the first and driving in five runs, and Kobe Foster tossed eight shutout innings as Washington opened a key Frontier League series with a 7-0 victory.
Liquori staked Washington to an early 3-0 lead and sealed the win with a two-run single in the Wild Things’ three-run seventh. In only seven games this year against Evansville, the Washington right fielder has driven in 20 runs. He has 58 RBI on the season.
“I’m getting my pitches to hit at the right time,” Liquori said while trying to explain his success against the Otters. “Props to the guys ahead of me for getting on base.”
Liquori’s home run off Evansville starter Landon Willeman (3-5) was more than enough offensive support for Foster (8-2) and reliever Michael O’Hanlon.
Foster, who threw a no-hitter in June against New Jersey, was just as sharp on this night as he was against the Jackals. The lefty scattered four hits – two did not leave the infield. He did not walk a batter and struck out 10. Foster lowered his league-leading ERA to a ridiculous 1.98.
Foster is not the hardest thrower in the league, but Wild Things catcher Isaias Quiroz says he might be its toughest competitor.
“He is a man of detail,” said Quiroz. “He’s always trying to get better and I’m proud of him for that. He doesn’t stop. He’s a competitor. It doesn’t matter if it’s pitch 1 or pitch 120, he never takes a pitch off.
“He has four pitches that he throws for strikes. He fills up the strike zone. We have a game plan and he tries to execute it, but what makes him different is he also has the ability to adjust very quickly. “
Liquori said Foster’s style of pitching is like an old Atlanta Braves hurler.
“He outsmarts them. He’s like in the 1990s with Tom Glavine,” Liquori said. “He hitsspots and outthinks them. He can throw four pitches for strikes, and in this league most guys can do that with only two pitches.”
Connor Peek got the key first inning going for Washington with a one-out double into the right-field corner. Anthony Brocato drew a two-out walk and Liquori followed with a three-run homer to right field on a 3-2 pitch.
Foster and Willeman tossed up zeroes for the next five innings, until the seventh. Washington had two outs and nobody on base but managed to score four times. Quiroz, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, was hit by a pitch, giving the Wild Things an inch. They took a mile.
David Eckaus relieved Willeman and he faced three batters and was unable to retire any of them. Antonio Monroy singled up the middle, and Peek and Andrew Czech walked to force in a run. Brocato drew a walk off Nolan Thebiay, the third Evansville pitcher of the inning, to force in a run and Liquori followed with a two-run single through the right side of the infield that made it 7-0.
“The team that scores the first run wins about 75 percent of the time,” Liquori said. ‘If we give Kobe a one-run lead, we have a good chance of winning.”
The loss dropped Evansville to seven games behind the Central Division-leading Wild Things. Florence, which began the night tied with Evansville and riding an 11-game winning streak, lost 11-10 at Brockton in 10 innings.
Extra bases
Evansville turned three double plays and has eight in five games this week.