The Washington Wild Things offense just need a warm Sunday afternoon to get their juices flowing. With two home runs and two doubles, the Wild Things were able to muster up six runs and pull out a 6-1 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers to avoid the weekend sweep.
Strong pitching has been key for the Wild Things all season and, finally, a starting pitcher was able to keep the Crushers offense in check. Shawn Smith pitched a complete game and only allowed one run off of eight hits, while striking out five.
After the Crushers scored first in the top of the second off of a Juan Sanchez sacrifice fly, the Wild Things put up three runs in the bottom of the third.
Shain Stoner, who got the start in right field, singled to start the inning off. CJ Beatty then reached first on a fielder’s choice while Stoner was called out at second. Jovan Rosa was able to scorch a double, eighth of the season, to score Beatty. After a Mark Samuelson single, Regelio Noris hit a double to score Rosa.
The next inning, with a 3-1 lead, Darian Sandford led off the inning with a walk and a stolen base, his nineteenth of the season. He didn’t have to wait long to get off the bases as Beatty blasted a home run on the very next pitch, making it 5-1.
Stoner added another run off of a solo shot in the bottom of the 6th to finalize the score at 6-1.
The past couple games, the Wild Things have struggled with getting runners on and then not advancing them. Today, that label was applied to the Crushers offense. Each team mustered up eight hits but Smith was able to hold the Crushers to just one run.
Six of the nine Wild Things batters recorded a hit, with Stoner and Beatty each having two hits and each hitting their fourth home run of the season.
The Wild Things are off on Monday and will travel to take on the Normal Cornbelters in a three-game series. The first game is on Tuesday at 7:00 pm ET.
Photo Credit: Courier Press
