Wild Things' Comeback Attempt Comes Up Just Short in 6-4 Loss to Windy City
WASHINGTON, Pa. (June 27) – The Washington Wild Things left 11 runners on base as the team fell to the Windy City ThunderBolts Wednesday afternoon 6-4. Washington falls to 25-16 on the season, while the ThunderBolts improved to 13-27 in 2018.
Windy City jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when designated hitter Riley Krane knocked in second baseman Tim Zier with a base hit to center field. The ThunderBolts extended their lead to 3-0 in the following inning thanks to a pair of solo home runs from center fielder Blair Beck and left fielder Jonathan McCray.
Both offenses remained quiet until the top of the fifth inning when Windy City pushed the lead to 4-0. Third baseman Matt Brown welcomed Washington reliever Aaron Burns to the game with an RBI single right after starting pitcher Trevor Bradley was pulled in the middle of the inning.
Bradley finished his afternoon going 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, and got the loss.
The Wild Things finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the deficit to two runs. After the first two batters were retired in the inning, Washington’s next five batters all reached base, with catcher Kyle Pollock driving in the first run on a single to right field and first baseman Reydel Medina walking with the bases loaded to bring the score to 4-2.
Washington’s deficit was driven back to four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Krane knocked in shortstop Omar Obregon with an infield single, and Zier came across the plate on the same play because of an error by second baseman Louis Mele to make it a 6-2 game.
After a pair of scoreless frames by each team, the Wild Things continued to battle by plating two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Designated hitter Jordan Edgerton delivered a two-RBI single, his first two RBI at home as a member of the Wild Things, which scored Medina and right fielder Hector Roa with two outs in the inning. Center fielder James Harris struck out with two men on base to end the inning.
Washington threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning, with left fielder Roman Collins and Pollock reaching on singles with one out to set the table for Medina. However, Medina flew out to the warning track in center field, and Pollock was thrown out by Beck trying to tag up from first base to second base to end the game and bring it to its final score of 6-4.
A bright spot for the Wild Things in the game was reliever James Meeker, who stuck out five batters and didn’t allow a baserunner in two innings of work. Collins, Pollock and Edgerton each had two hits for Washington.
The Wild Things and ThunderBolts will conclude their three-game series tomorrow evening at 7:05 as both teams will be looking to win the series.
