LOVES PARK, Il – Gary Lee pitched eight innings of one-run ball, and the offense exploded for nine runs as the Washington Wild Things, presented by Washington Financial, dropped the Rockford Riverhawks 9-1 to earn the series victory on Wednesday night.
Lee allowed one run on five hits, while striking out five to earn his sixth win of the season.
The Riverhawks had no answer for Lee who worked FIVE straight scoreless innings after giving up an RBI single in the second.
Washington gave up an early run on an RBI single in the second inning, but came right back in the third with two runs to capture the lead.
The Wild Things loaded the bases, getting singles from Brad Agustin and Darian Sandford and a walk drawn by Michael Bando. A.J. Nunziato then followed with a single to left field to plate Agustin.
Gus Benusa added a sacrifice fly to score Michael Bando to give the Things a 2-1 lead.
Two innings later, in the fifth, Bando scored when Nunziato reached first on an error by the first baseman. Bando reached on a single to left field and then stole second base.
The running game came into play again in the seventh, as the Wild Things stayed aggressive on the base paths.
This time it was Darian Sandford, who singled with one out and swiped second, his league leading 62nd stolen base of the season. Sandford scored on an RBI single by Nunziato.
On the evening, Sandford went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two stolen bases to bring his season total to 63.
The Wild Things’ offense kept piling on the runs as the night wore on, adding to its’ three run lead.
Shain Stoner belted a solo home run in the eighth, his fifth of the year to make it 5-1 Washington, and a pass ball extended their lead to 6-1.
Still, the Things weren’t done, as they plated three more runs in the ninth.
A double by Rick Devereaux scored Nunziato, and RBI singles by Stoner and Agustin brought the final score to 9-1.
