Kirby pitches Wild Things to win in Game 1
FLORENCE, Ky. – Zach Kirby pitched seven stellar innings, Cole Fowler hit a solo home run and Isaias Quiroz drove in three runs as the Wild Things opened the Frontier League playoffs with an 8-3 victory over Florence on Wednesday in Game 1 of a best-of-3 wild-card series.
Game 2 will be played Friday at EQT Park. Game 3, if necessary, is set for Saturday.
In the other Midwest Conference playoff series, Schaumburg won Game 1 at Evansville, 3-2. The only Atlantic Conference series played Wednesday had Quebec winning at New York, 3-0. All three higher-seeded teams won on the road.
Kirby was terrific as he allowed only two hits and one run over the seven innings. He walked one and struck out seven. The right-hander took a one-hit shutout into the seventh but Florence’s Zade Richardson led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run that cut Washington’s lead to 4-1. Kirby retired the next three batters.
Colt Anderson replaced Kirby in the eighth and got two outs but gave up two unearned runs. Kenton Egbert retired the final batter of the eighth. Mack Anglin got the game’s final three outs with the help of a double-play grounder.
The Wild Things took a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Florence starter Evan Webster. Connor Peek drove in Andrew Czech with a single for the game’s first run, and Quiroz brought home Peek with a two-out base hit.
In the top of the seventh, Fowler smacked the inning’s first pitch for a home run off reliever Logan Jones. Miles Simington added a single that scored Caleb Ketchup and made the score 4-0.
Washington took advantage of four consecutive walks in the eighth inning and scored three insurance runs. Quiroz had a two-run single in the inning.
Jeff Liquori made it 8-3 in the ninth when his single to right field scored Kyle Edwards from second base.
Quiroz and Czech both had two-hit games for Washington.
Webster allowed two runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings. Richardson drove in all three runs for the Y’alls.