Washington Drops Extra-Inning Affair in Series Finale
WASHINGTON, Pa. (July 15) – A 13th inning home run by right fielder Doug Trimble propelled Lake Erie to a 6-5 win and sweep over the Washington Wild Things in their first series following the all-star break. The Wild Things threatened in the bottom of the 13th by loading the bases, but they were unable to scratch any more runs across as the team fell for the third straight night.
The Wild Things fall to 30-24 on the season, while the Crushers move to 29-24 on the year. The loss for the Wild Things could put them into a tie for first place in the Frontier League, depending on whether or not Joliet wins tonight.
Lake Erie opened up the scoring in the top of the fourth when right fielder Doug Trimble singled in designated hitter Cody Lenahan, who doubled to lead off the inning, to give the Crushers a 1-0 advantage. After giving up two-consecutive hits to start the frame, Washington starter Chase Cunningham settled down and got the next three batters out.
After five scoreless frames, including three 1-2-3 innings, the Wild Things finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Second baseman Carter McEachern doubled with two outs, and then left fielder Roman Collins beat out an infield single—a play in which Lake Erie first baseman Kewby Meyer dropped the throw and the ball skipped away, which allowed McEachern to sneak home and tie the game 1-1.
Right fielder Hector Roa then lead off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to left center, his eighth of the year and 39th RBI this season, to give Washington a 2-1 lead.
With Zach Strecker coming on in the ninth, Lake Erie was able to scratch a run across against the all-star closer. Lenahan led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on an errant throw by Strecker. Later in the frame, left fielder Dustin Williams singled to drive in Lenahan and tied the game 2-2. Strecker then got out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
In the ensuing half-inning, with two outs and Roa on first, Conner Simonetti drove a ball to deep left center that would have won the game for the Wild Things, but left fielder Tyler Cowles made a diving catch in the gap to send the game to extra innings.
After a scoreless 10th from both sides, the 11th inning triggered the international tie-break rule, which meant that each team would start the inning with a man on second base. Lake Erie and Washington both managed to get a run across in the 11th but left the score tied 3-3 to send the game to the 12th.
In similar fashion, both teams managed to get one run in the 12th to send the game to the 13th. Edgerton delivered the game-tying hit with an RBI-single that scored Pollock.
In the 13th, Trimble led off with the two-run shot and that’s all Lake Erie got across, putting the Wild Things in a two-run hole. Harris had an RBI base hit to bring the score to 6-5 and Washington would load the bases, but Roa struck out to end the game.
Harris led the way offensively for the Wild Things, going 3-6 with a pair of RBIs, each of those coming in extra innings.
Washington starter Chase Cunningham tossed seven innings of one-run ball, only allowing six hits and two walks while striking out four. Louis Cohen grabbed the win on the mound for the Crushers, while James Meeker was tagged with the loss in the extra-inning affair.
The Wild Things will get a day off before heading to Normal to take on the CornBelters for a three-game series starting Tuesday night at 7:05.
