Washington and Evansville Split Doubleheader With Game Two Going Extras
EVANSVILLE, In. - The Washington Wild Things (33-26) won the first of two tonight in Evansville, but lost the second after having a 9-6 lead entering the sixth of the seven-inning game two, as the Otters (33-26) won in 10 innings, by a final of 11-10.
The Wild Things won the opener of the doubleheader, which started in the third inning. The original contest had been suspended at Wild Things Park June 18. Serving as a rubber match, Washington trailed 2-0 starting the third inning after a first-inning two-run home run by Dane Phillips of the Otters. They were able to break out the bats, getting six hits, while being helped by two errors in the fourth inning to score seven runs and take a 7-2 lead after four innings. Right fielder Hector Roa singled in a run, designated hitter Kenny Peoples-Walls plated a pair, shortstop Trevin Sonnier had an RBI single, a run came in on an error, left fielder Bralin Jackson had a sacrifice fly and first baseman Kane Sweeney drove in a run with a single.
Washington added a run in the fifth on a home run by catcher Kyle Pollock. Evansville managed to plate two in the sixth, before the Wild Things scored one in both the seventh and eighth innings. Second baseman Justin Bohn singled in a run in the seventh, while Pollock had a sacrifice fly in the eighth. The Otters added a run in the ninth before the game was shut down by left-hander Brian O’Keefe, who had come on in the eighth.
Trevor Bradley got the win, by going 5.1 innings between the two dates and yielding four runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three. Right-handed pitcher Joe Ravert pitched 1.2 scoreless innings after relieivng Bradley. Pollock matched a game high in runs with three for the Wild Things in 2017, while Peoples-Walls had three hits and a pair of RBI. Every Wild Things’ batter had a hit and five had multi-hit games in the victory, that gave Washington a series win from the original series played between June 16-18.
Game two started with some fireworks from the Wild Things offense. Right fielder James Harris led the game off with a home run, and, before the inning came to a close, Pollock hit a three-run shot to make it 4-0 Wild Things. Evansville responded wtih a three-run home run in consecutive innings. In the first inning, Jeff Gardner hit one, his 17th home run of the season, before Josh Allen did the same, his 11th, in the second.
Peoples-Walls plated a run in the third, before Hill tied things with a bases-loaded walk in the fourth. Washington then took the lead in the fifth on a double by Harris that scored Bohn. They also got a run on a single by centerfielder Rashad Brown, who plated Harris.
Evansville threatened in the fifth, but starter Chase Cunningham induced a double play to get out of a jam unscathed. He went five innings, giving up the six runs and eight hits, walked two and struck out three.
After Washington got another run to make it 9-6 in the sixth on a sac fly by Mike Hill, Davis Adkins came on for the sixth and was tagged for three runs, the third of which tied the game at nine.
Both teams plated a run in the ninth inning, the second inning in extras, as the international tiebreaker was in effect. For Washington, catcher John Fidanza doubled home a run, while Evansville loaded the bases with no outs but only managed the tying run. After the Wild Things failed to score in the 10th, Evansville’s Lance Montano delivered a one-out, walk-off single to win it for the Otters. Zach Strecker took the loss going 3.1 innings and allowing two unearned runs by way of the international tiebreaker.
The Wild Things and Otters will play the finale of the weekend series tomorrowat 6:05 p.m. EST. Brandon Bixler takes the mound for Washington against Brandon Adkins for Evansville.
