Wild Things piece it together, gain doubleheader split
The Wild Things lead the Frontier League in pitching by significant margin. They have a team ERA almost 1½ runs less than the second-place pitching staff.
However, the starting rotation that helped put up those dominant pitching numbers is now just a distant memory.
In the last four days, Washington has lost two more starting pitchers to major league organizations. Zach Kirby (5-0) had his contract purchased by the Los Angeles Angels and Maddox Long (4-1) was bought by the Detroit Tigers. Long and Kirby are second and third, respectively, in the Frontier League in ERA. That makes four Wild Things starting pitchers who have been picked up since mid-May. Add in former closer Tyler Davis also getting picked up, and Ethan Brown, who began the season in the rotation before suffering a season-ending injury, and the current Washington pitching staff doesn’t resemble the one that began the year.
Manager Tom Vaeth has been left to piece together a pitching staff, and he got just enough on the mound Saturday night to salvage a doubleheader split with Joliet. The Slammers won the opener 8-7 before Washington won the nightcap, 7-5.
Washington signed and activated starter Esteban Rodriguez and reliever Shuto Okumura (0-1) for the opener and the results were shaky at best. The duo combined gave up eight runs (six earned) in 3 1/3 innings as Joliet forged an 8-6 lead. The Wild Things closed to within a run in the fifth when Andrew Czech doubled and scored on a single by Caleb Ketchup. It was the Wild Things’ last hit of the game.
It was Washington’s third consecutive loss, a season high. None of the losses were by more than one run.
In the nightcap, Washington turned to lefty Brit Kostura as its starter, A rookie from Division III Baldwin Wallace, Kostura gave up two runs over four innings and left with a 5-2 lead.
“I thought he did fine,” Vaeth said of Kostura, who entered the game with less than two innings of pro experience. “He has to have more pitchability. He needs to change speeds more, but for a little guy he has the arm speed and he’s competitive.”
Joliet tied the score in the fifth against Washington’s bullpen, but the Wild Things regained the lead in the fifth when Connor Peek walked and eventually scored after two wild pitches by Joliet starter Blane Zeplin (1-3).
The Wild Things scored an insurance run in the sixth. Ketchup led off with a single, moved up on a balk and a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Kyle Edwards.
Chad Coles (3-1) was the winning pitcher with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Landon Ginn pitched seventh inning for his fifth save.
Washington left fielder Anthony Brocato was activated off the injured list prior to the doubleheader. Brocato hit a two-run homer in the third inning of the opening game. It was Brocato’s 12 home run of the season and the 100th of his Frontier League career. He is one of only three players in league history to hit at least 100 homers and is tied with Stephen Holdren (2007-2011) for second place on the all-time list. Czech is right behind them with 99.
Extra bases
Okumura and Ginn pitched in both games for Washington. … Joliet outhit the Wild Things 10-6 in the nightcap but the Slammers left 11 runners on base. … Rodriguez pitched last year in college at Richmond and appeared in three Frontier League games this season for Trois-Rivieres before being released. Okumura played college ball at Illinois State and was with Idaho Falls in the independent Pioneer League until early this month.