Wild Things Walk Off in Fashion
The Washington Wild Things saved the fireworks for Sunday, with an exhilarating 5-4 walkoff win over the Windy City Thunderbolts in 11 innings. The game was delayed 30 minutes due to rain in the area but the Wild Things gave fans quite a show.
LHP Hunter Williams (0-1) made the start for Washington and went 3 innings, scattering 3 hits. Windy City took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th but Alex Fernandez hit his first triple of the season, scoring Kyle Pollock. Rashad Brown would then single in Fernandez from third and close the gap to a one run deficit.
After 6 hitless innings of work by relievers Aaron Burns, Vince Apicella and Zach Strecker, the Wild Things hitters had some magic up their sleeves. LF Bralin Jackson would slam his second HR of the season off closer Brian Loconsole and send the game into extras.
RHP Zach Strecker would throw two more innings of hitless baseball, including a dominating sequence during the International Tie-Breaker 11th frame. In the bottom of the 11th, Rashad Brown would start on second base (per International Tie-Breaker rules) and Jace Conrad drove a ball deep to RF which allowed Brown to tag to advance 90 feet. Windy City then intentionally walked both Mike Hill and Bralin Jackson to face 1B Kane Sweeney with the bases loaded. After a long battle with LHP Chris Chigas, Sweeney hit a driving sacrifice fly to CF and sending Washington into the night as walkoff winners 5-4.
The Wild Things return to action Wednesday, May 24th as they take on the Southern Illinois Miners in DH action starting at 6:05pm. Tickets can be purchased at WashingtonWildThings.com or by calling the box office at 724-250-9555.
