Wild Things Take Series, Homestand Opener
WASHINGTON, Pa. (July 25) – On a night where Chris Carter was inducted into the Frontier League Hall of Fame, the Wild Things bested the Florence Y’alls in a low-scoring 3-1 contest.
Both pitchers rolled through the first three innings: Zach Kirby for Washington and Evan Webster for Florence. The Y’alls were eventually able to break through for the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Hank Zeisler singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a Brendan Bobo single later in the frame. That was it for the frame, sending it to the bottom half at 1-0 Florence.
Washington was able to get the run right back in the bottom of the fourth. Czech tripled with one out and Ethan Wilder wasted no time by driving him home in the next at bat.
The two sides would go scoreless in the fifth, and after getting Tommy Caufield to ground out to end the inning, Y’alls manager Chad Rhoades made a call to the bullpen to bring in right-handed pitcher Bradley Wilson. Webster finished the night for Florence after pitching five innings. He gave up one run on eight hits and struck out one.
The Wild Things immediately got to Wilson. After a quick first out in the sixth, Czech walked and came around to score to give Washington a 2-1 lead after back-to-back singles from Wilder and Jordan Siket.
Chad Coles came in to relieve Kirby in the top of the seventh to end his night. Kirby finished the contest after throwing six innings of one-run ball. He allowed four hits, while striking out three and walking one. It was his third quality start of the season and Washington’s 23rd.
Coles struck a batter out before walking the next two and giving way to Hector Garcia. He allowed a single to load the bases but got a strikeout and a fly out to get Washington out of the jam. Garcia struck out the first two batters of the eighth before Joe Nahas came on to punch out the final Florence hitter of the frame. He’d work a scoreless ninth to earn a save.
In between, the Wild Things grabbed a seventh inning run as Ben Watson scored on a single by Caufield.
The Wild Things improve to 35-29 on the season and will look to take the series tomorrow against Florence. The Y’alls fall to 27-35 on the campaign. They will try to force a rubber match game on Sunday tomorrow night. The Wild Things continue their homestand tomorrow for Baseball Fights Cancer night against the Y’alls with a 3D Magnet Photo Frame giveaway presented by St. Clair Health. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Secure tickets at washingtonwildthings.com.
