Washington Claws Back Twice, Falls in Sudden Death
AVON, Ohio (June 21) – Washington, after struggling offensively for the first two-thirds of the regulation innings Sunday, fought back twice to tie things twice, take a lead in extras and get an out away in sudden death from a win, but ultimately fell in Sunday’s rubber game 8-7 to Lake Erie. It’s Washington’s first road series loss of the season and drops the first-place club to 26-11 on the season in advance of eight games at home in six days this coming week.
Lake Erie scored twice in the first and twice in the fourth against Washington start Colt Anderson, who left the contest after four innings of work. Washington managed three baserunners in that time but wasn’t able to convert. The Wild Things came close in the fifth, loading the bases with two outs but a strikeout by Brandyn Sittinger ended the threat as he got Jeff Liquori swinging after a small two-strike battle. Washington put two more on in the sixth but couldn’t cash in.
Jack Brodsky worked against six hitters in the first two innings he worked and retired all of them. Washington finally broke through in the seventh. After a flyout by Hunter Stokely started the inning, the next four recorded hits. Antonio Monroy and Connor Peek both had infield singles followed by a Jeff Liquori ringing double to right that plated the Wild Things first tally and made it 4-1. Andrew Czech stepped in next and launched his 98th career home run to tie it at 4-4 on the three-run line-drive homer. It was his second-straight Father’s Day homer with his dad in attendance near his hometown in Ohio. Last year, Czech hit a walkoff grand slam in the second end of a doubleheader against Joliet in Washington on Father’s Day.
Brodsky walked the leadoff man in the seventh and Michael O’Hanlon came on for him. Sebastian Alexander hit a two-run homer to give the Crushers a 6-4 lead that dissipated in the ninth with Washington down to its final strike. Liquori drew a walk with two outs, Czech doubled on a soft liner to the left-field line and Caleb Ketchup singled both home, with Kyle Edwards running for Czech to tie things at 6-6.
Washington’s Landon Ginn worked a clean bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras and Washington took its first and only lead on an RBI single in the infield by Antonio Monroy that made it 7-6. Lake Erie bunted their automatic runner over and plated him before stranding the winning run in the 10th against Ginn.
Lake Erie opted to hit and after Kelvin Perez got two outs, which both moved the automatic runner at first up 90 feet, Joe Redfield singled home the winner to give the Crushers a win that Washington nearly stole.
The Crushers are now 17-22 on the season while Washington is 26-11. The two teams will play six more times this season, with all the remaining games scheduled for EQT Park in July.
Washington returns home for a day series opener on Super Splash Day Tuesday morning at 10:35 a.m. against Windy City. Washington is set for doubleheaders Wednesday and Saturday this week, both starting at 5:05 p.m. against Windy City and then Joliet. Promotions and tickets are available at washingtonwildthings.com.
The 24th season of Wild Things baseball in the MLB-partnered Frontier League is underway with more great baseball and entertainment to come. For updates, other information and more, visit washingtonwildthings.com or follow the team on social media at facebook.com/WashingtonWildThings or @WashWildThings on other platforms.
Go Wild at washingtonwildthings.com.
