Wild Things Drop Second in a Row in Long, Extra-Inning Affair
WASHINGTON, Pa. (June 26) – The Washington Wild Things fell just short to open the series against Joliet with a 10th-inning loss, 6-5. Washington has now lost back-to-back games in extra frames. Ace Kobe Foster took the mound for the Wild Things, going six-strong innings and allowing only one run on five hits. While Foster set the tone early for the Wild Things, the offense wasted no time in giving the team an early lead.
After blanking the Slammers at the top of the first, Washington opened the game quickly with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Designated hitter Antonio Monroy started it after being hit by a pitch before second baseman Connor Peek reached on an infield single. First baseman Andrew Czech then gave the Wild Things the lead with a one-run single up the middle to score Monroy and make it 1-0.
After two-straight scoreless innings, the Wild Things added to their lead on a Kyle Edwards solo shot in the bottom of the fourth to make it a two-run game.
The Slammers would finally get on the board in the top of the fifth inning after Patrick Ward hit a double, advancing to third after shortstop Kyle Edwards bobbled a ground ball to let Brandon Heidal reach base and put runners on the corners. After Foster walked Ian Battipaglia to load the bases, Blake Berry hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Ward, making it 2-1 Wild Things.
Washington would respond immediately in the bottom of the fifth, adding two insurance runs on back-to-back home runs by Andrew Czech and Caleb Ketchup making it 4-1 Washington on Czech’s 12th and Ketchup’s sixth of the season.
Joliet would have a four-run rally in top of the seventh to take the lead. Cerny got the Slammers started with a double before Berry hit an RBI single to cut the Wild Things lead to two. Jackson Valera hit a single to put two runners on the base before Cam Suto followed with a three-run shot to give the Slammers their first lead of the game make it 5-4.
After three straight scoreless innings for the Wild Things, Antonio Monroy hit a solo shot to right field in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game up at 5-5. It was Washington's fourth solo homer of the night, forcing the Wild Things a second-straight night to go to extras.
After Joliet loaded the bases in the top of the 10th inning with a hit batter and a walk, the Slammers took the lead after Chad Coles threw a wild pitch to score Jackson Valera from third to give the Slammers a one-run lead, 6-5.
Washington had a chance to tie in the bottom of the tenth with an automatic runner at second but failed to score a run after the Slammers went 1-2-3 in the middle of the order for the Wild Things.
With the loss, Washington falls to 28-14 and looks to rebound tomorrow to tie the series at one apiece. With the win, the Joliet Slammers move to 17-23 on the season and moved their win streak to five. Tomorrow is a doubleheader for the Wild Things, with the first pitch of game one scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Fans can expect gates to open an hour before first pitch, with game two of the doubleheader starting half an hour after game one ends.
Tomorrow’s promotions include a Seat Cushion Giveaway for the first 1,000 fans, presented by St. Clair Health. It’s also Baseball Fights Cancer Night, again presented by St. Clair Health, featuring the Baseball Fights Cancer Jersey Auction, presented by 84 Lumber and benefiting the American Cancer Society, powered by DASH.
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.
