O'Keefe Sets Two Career Highs, Dazzles in Wild Things' Win
AVON, Ohio – The Washington Wild Things (19-16) defeated the Lake Erie Crushers (14-21) 5-2 in a rubber match Thursday, on the back of lights-out pitching from their starter and a five-run second inning.
Brian O’Keefe (1-2) got the start on the hill and cut through the Crushers lineup for seven, solid innings to earn his first win of the season. He set the pace in the first inning, when he struck out three of the four batters he faced, but he did allow a home run in the frame. O’Keefe went on to allow only one more run on three hits the rest of the way, adding six more punch-outs, setting a new career high in the category with nine total. O’Keefe’s seven innings pitched are a career-high as well. His final line: 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 9 K and no walks.
Wild Things right fielder Hector Roa led off the second with a triple, and then scored on a double from third baseman Mike Hill, evening the game at one apiece. Washington was then able to add four more runs in the inning on a single by designated hitter Kyle Reese, a two-RBI double from centerfielder Rashad Brown and a run-scoring groundout that plated Brown off the bat of left fielder Bralin Jackson, putting the Wild Things up 5-1.
All of that came after the Crushers had struck first with a solo shot by Jordan Dean in the home first. The host team also added a single run in the third.
The Wild Things travel to Schaumburg, Illinois, to face the Schaumburg Boomers tomorrow, June 23, with first pitch slated for 7:30 p.m. EST.
