Fowler answers call for Wild Things
With one swing of his bat early Tuesday afternoon, Cole Fowler made things much better for the Wild Things’ hitters, who seemed to be well on their way to a frustrating and unproductive day at the ballpark.
Gateway starting pitcher Josh Dima and relievers Jack Hoeymans and Claudio Galva had spent most of the first seven innings issuing what seemed like as many walks and wild pitches as there were kids in the stands at EQT Park.
And Washington couldn’t capitalize on all that help, though opportunity knocked … and knocked … and knocked.
The Wild Things and Grizzlies were locked in a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning when Fowler stepped into the lefthanded batter’s box to face Galva (1-1), a lefty who had shut down Washington in a Frontier League playoff game last September.
“I remembered him,” Fowler said. “I was thinking we had to get our revenge.”
Fowler got it when Galva tossed a pitch over the inside part of the plate.
“That’s in my wheelhouse,” explained Fowler, who spent March in the New York Mets’ minor-league spring training camp. “I wouldn’t say I was guessing what pitch he’d throw, but rather that I was cheating on a pitch.”
Fowler turned on the pitch and hit it down the right-field line and well over the wall for a three-run homer. Washington would add another run in the inning and go on to a 7-3 victory in the Kids Days game.
Fowler’s home run, his fourth of the season and second off a lefty, allowed the Wild Things to breathe a collective sight of relief. The first six innings were a frustrating experience.
Gateway pitchers combined to walk 10 batters, throw four wild pitches, hit one batter and commit a balk.
Yet Washington was hitless with runners in scoring position until Fowler’s home run. The Wild Things, who lead the league in strikeouts, hurt themselves by striking out 15 times.
That had manager Tom Vaeth upset about his team’s situational hitting well after the game ended.
“We have to do a better job,” he said firmly. “I give players 100 at-bats to get settled in, and we’ve played 22 games so far, so do the math. That’s four at-bats per game – we’re close to that point.
“We have to get better and stop relying on our pitchers to be perfect every night.
“Strikeouts are a matter of want to. A lot of times, our strikeouts are the result of chasing balls out of the strike zone and that’s what happened today with runners in scoring position. If you go up there and say I’m going to put this ball in play, then seven out of 10 times you will.”
Washington took a 1-0 lead in the second inning with some help from Dima. He walked Anthony Brocato and Fowler to start the inning. With both runners on the move, Dima threw a wild pitch that catcher Jose Alvarez didn’t locate immediately as it rolled toward the Gateway dugout. Brocato never stopped running on the play and scored from second base.
Fowler advanced to third base on the play but he was left there following a shallow flyout and two strikeouts.
“We have some guys who are way too comfortable striking out,” Vaeth said. “Maybe that’s the new-age mentality.”
The game remained 1-0 until the sixth, when Gateway did all of its scoring. Victor Castillo hit a leadoff double off Washington starter Zach Kirby. A bunt moved Castillo into scoring position and Mark Shallenberger walked. Following a strikeout, Gateway third baseman Dale Thomas hit a three-run homer to left field to give the Grizzlies the lead.
Kirby pitched six innings and allowed six hits. He walked one and struck out two.
“He was phenomenal,” Fowler said.
Washington was able to get Kirby off the hook by scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score at 3-3. Caleb Ketchup drew a one-walk, stole second and scored on two wild pitches. Kyle Edwards, who also walked, scored on a sacrifice fly by E.J. Cumbo.
In the seventh, Antonio Monroy led off with a walk and moved to third when Brocato hit a book-rule double to left field. Fowler followed with his home run that made it 6-3.
Jack Brodsky (1-0), Michael Foltz Jr. and Landon Ginn followed Kirby, each throwing one scoreless inning of relief.
“As always, everything is a work in progress,” Vaeth said.
Extra bases
Dima allowed only three hits and one run over five innings. He walked five and struck out a career-high nine. … Second baseman Connor Peek had two of Washington’s eight hits. Shallenberger and Bryson Horne had multi-hit games for the Grizzlies. … Washington (.239) and Gateway (.235) entered the day with the two lowest team batting averages in the 18-team league but the Grizzlies had hit the most home runs (34) and Washington was third (31). … The series continues tonight (6:05 p.m.). … The Wild Things are scheduled to play more home games (19) in June than they do in July and August combined (18). … Trois-Rivieres (5-14) made the first managerial firing of the Year on Monday, letting go of former major league pitcher Jonathan Abaladejo and replacing him with T.J. White, a former player for Quebec.