Washington Drops Fourth-Straight Series With 4-1 Loss to Joliet
WASHINGTON, Pa. (July 26) – The Wild Things managed just five hits and one run as the Joliet Slammers rode a strong pitching performance from Scot Hoffman to pull out a 4-1 victory Thursday evening. With the loss, the Wild Things dropped the three-game set with the Slammers 2-1, the team’s fourth straight series loss.
Washington’s record now sits at 33-30 and the Wild Things continue to sit in fourth place in the East Division, while Joliet (36-27) holds on to at least a tie of first place in the East Division.
The Slammers struck first in their first at-bat. Center fielder London Lindley led off the game with an infield single, stole second and then scored in the next at-bat as Trenton Hill drove him in with a single to right field to put the Slammers up 1-0.
Following a quiet second and third inning from both squads, the Slammers added on in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-run home run off the bat of designated hitter Justin Garcia to extend the lead to 3-0. The long ball was Garcia’s 17th of the year to move him into sole possession of first place in the Frontier League, and the two RBI extended his league-leading total to 54.
After putting runners on base in each of the first four innings but failing to produce any runs, the Wild Things finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Center fielder James Harris laced a triple in the right-center gap with one out in the frame before second baseman Carter McEachern drove him in with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 3-1.
Joliet tacked on another run in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of the third baseman Danny Zardon. Later in the inning, second baseman Ridge Hoopii-Haslam singled and Zardon tried to score as well, but right fielder Hector Roa threw him out at home for his second outfield assist of the evening to end the threat.
Washington was unable to string anything else together the rest of the game, as the Joliet bullpen took over for Hoffman and shut down the typically-potent Wild Things offense on its way to a 4-1 win.
Leading the way offensively for Washington was third baseman Ryan Cox, who tallied a 2-4 effort at the dish. Starting pitcher Chase Cunningham (4-4) took the loss, twirling six innings while allowing three runs on seven hits. The right-hander struck out four and walked three batters in the outing.
Hoffman (6-3) got the win for the Slammers after allowing just one run on five hits with five strikeouts over seven innings.
The Wild Things are set to travel to Traverse City to take on the Beach Bums for a three-game set starting tomorrow evening. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
