** The following is an official recap from the Washington Wild Things **
Washington, PA-AJ Nunziato drove in Shain Stoner for the game-winning run in the seventh and the Washington Wild Things, presented by Washington Financial, defeated the Normal Cornbelters 3-2 to take the series on Tuesday night at CONSOL Energy Park.
Normal and Washington battled through a couple scoreless innings before the Wild Things manufactured the game’s first run in the bottom of the third via a clutch two-out RBI single by designated hitter CJ Beatty that plated outfielder Stewart Ijames, who previously doubled.
Pitching was the main story in this game as veteran Frontier Leaguer Gary Lee stifled the Normal Cornbelters bats over a span of 6 2/3 innings. The only run he allowed all night was unearned after a defensive mishap in the top of the seventh and was throwing a perfect game until surrendering a walk and a hit in the fifth frame.
Ryan Demmin, making his second appearance here, the other coming at the 2013 Frontier League All-Star Game, matched Gary Lee pitch-for-pitch, but allowed all three Washington runs and was tagged with the loss. In 7 1/3 innings, he allowed eight hits and struck out nine Washington hitters.
Heading into the bottom of the seventh knotted at one, Washington lead-off hitter Shain Stoner tripled and later scored on an RBI double by Nunziato to break the tie and go-ahead 2-1.
Pinch-hitter Scott Kalamar provided an insurance run for the Things’ in the seventh when his sacrifice-fly scored Nunziato for a 3-1 advantage.
Matt Phillips, who relieved Lee, earned the win for Washington.
Washington will travel to Lake Erie tomorrow and play the Lake Erie Crushers for a two-game set before returning home on Saturday to face off against the Frontier Greys. All the away action can be heard live on WJPA 95.3 FM with Randy Gore.
For the official box score visit: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=124284
Photo Credit: Washington Wild Things
