The Washington Wild Things forced extras thanks to a Jimmy Yezzo three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t complete the comeback as they fell 8-7 in twelve innings to the Frontier Greys at CONSOL Energy Park.
The Yezzo home run redeemed Washington (31-42), who left seven runners in scoring position through eight innings, as they trailed 5-2 heading to the ninth.
“We have to get quality at bats with runners in scoring position and that didn’t happen tonight,” said Wild Things manager Bob Bozzuto. “That’s been our nemesis the entire year. Not getting big hits at appropriate times.”
Sam Mende led the inning off with a single and David Popkins reached via a one out walk. Yezzo then took a Nick McBride fastball just over the left field fence to tie things at five.
The two teams went scoreless in the tenth and exchanged international tiebreak runs in the eleventh before the Greys (35-38) put two on the board in the top of the twelfth thanks to RBI singles from Brandon Tierney and Scott Carcaise off of Jonathan Kountis (2-2).
The Wild Things were able to put a run across in the bottom against Chris Rice (2-2) when Daniel Poma singled home Yezzo to start the inning, but couldn’t put the tying run across as Austin Wobrock grounded into a force out and Maxx Garrett grounded into a game-ending double play.
Ernesto Zaragoza started the game for the Wild Things and experienced trouble in the first inning as the first two batters he faced singled. Tierney then homered deep over the left field wall to give the Greys an early 3-0 lead.
“We gotta put a zero up there,” said Bozzuto. “These guys will battle you and unfortunately, we came up short.”
Zaragoza then retired fifteen of the next seventeen batters before allowing an unearned run in the sixth.
Davis Popkins, who accounted for three Wild Things runs on the night, went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three walks.
Washington will look to even the three-game series Wednesday evening at 7:05.
Starters Lines
(WAS) Zaragoza (ND): 6.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K’s, 1 HBP.
(FRO) Bogese (ND): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 4 K’s, 1 HR, 1 WP.
(Photo Credit: Washington Wild Things)
