When the Washington Wild Things were rained out on Saturday night, I don’t think they planned on playing a true double-header the next day. But that’s exactly what they did. After losing 4-3 in a long fought battle in 19 innings to the Windy City ThunderBolts, the Wild Things managed to win the second game of the day, winning 5-3 over the ThunderBolts.
The Wild Things took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first with two of those runs coming off a Jovan Rosa double. The next at-bat, Rick Devereaux drove in Rosa with a single. Washington would string together twelve more hits throughout the next eighteen innings, but couldn’t make anything come from it.
Although the score didn’t finish in their favor, the Wild Things were able to keep the damage minimal, never giving up more than one run in an inning.
Washington took a 3-1 lead into the second day and handed the ball over to Gary Lee, who was supposed to get the start later that night. Lee pitched 7.1 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits and one walk, recording three strikeouts along the way. Matt Philips came in in relief in extra innings, going 3.1 innings, only giving up two hits. William Scott came in in the 16th and was pitching great, getting out of two jams with two runners on each time.
Everything was fine until the bottom of the 19th.
It only took two pitches from Scott before Andrew Bauer knocked one out of the park for the walk-off win. Scott picked up his first loss of the season.
The game lasted just under six hours.
Game two ended a little better for Washington.
CJ Beatty started things off in the third inning with a two-out walk followed by a single by Rosa, and finished off with an RBI double by Stewart Ijames. The Wild Things couldn’t capitalize with two runners on as Nick Atkins flew out to center.
The 5th inning proved to be a big inning for both teams.
Rosa had another base knock, driving in a run this time and then later scored on another double by Ijames.
After getting two outs in the bottom of the 5th, Wild Things starter Anthony Collazo was pulled in favor of Alfonso Yevoli. Yevoli gave up three hits in a row, and two runs before being yanked. The ball was handed over to Orlando Santos, who gave up a run before finishing the inning.
Going into the 7th with the score tied 3-3, Washington knew it was time to put up or shut up, and they did the first option, in the form of two runs. Both runs came on hustle plays and a little help from the ThunderBolts defense. Gus Benusa scored on an error on a Rosa double and Rosa later scored on a pass ball two batters later.
Santos made the bottom of the final inning anything less than exciting by loading the bases with two outs on an intentional walk before getting the last out. Luckily for the Wild Things, Santos was able to get Doug Joyce to fly out to left field, picking up his first win of the season.
Rosa went 5-7 in the first game, with two RBIs and a perfect 4-4 with another RBI in the second game. Benusa added three hits in the first game, also. Ijames went 3-3 in the second game with two RBI’s.
The Wild Things have the day off today as they’re traveling back home to start a series with the Frontier Greys. Shawn Smith will take the mound in front of the Wild Things home crowd while Joe Zeller gets the call for the Greys. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm ET.
Photo Credit: ACT Global Sports
