Chase Cunningham Tosses Eight Shutout Innings in Series-Opening Win
WASHINGTON, PA – The Washington Wild Things [22-17] defeated the Traverse City Beach Bums [17-22], 4-0 in the first game of their three-game series Tuesday night. The Wild Things returned home from a road trip in which they won both series, and remain near the top of the Frontier League East Division standings at second in the division and hold down a wild card spot.
Right-handed pitcher Chase Cunningham (5-0) got the start for the Washington Wild Things, going eight innings and allowing no runs on five hits while striking out four Beach Bums. Tuesday’s start was just another dominant performance by the potential Frontier League All-Star, who is yet to lose a decision this season. He is tied for third in the league in wins, with five, and fifth in the league in ERA at 2.64 through nine starts.
All of the scoring for the Wild Things happened relatively early in the game, as after a scoreless first inning, second basemen Kyle Reese hit a three-run home run to right field to score catcher Kyle Pollock and left fielder Kenny Peoples-Walls to make the game 3-0 in favor of the Wild Things after two innings.
Washington scored one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning of a sacrifice fly to right field by Reese to score Peoples-Walls, and make it 4-0 Wild Things after four innings of work.
Washington only mustered three hits in the game, however the combination of Reese’s homerun and Cunningham’s dominant pitching performance allowed the lack of hits to not be an issue in the effort.
The Wild Things and Beach Bums play game two of the series tomorrow, Wednesday, June 28, at 7:05 p.m. at Wild Things Park. Brian O’Keefe, for Washington, will oppose Traverse City’s Augie Gallardo.
