Wild Things Win Rain-Shortened Affair to Complete Second-Straight Sweep, Win Seventh Straight Game
WASHINGTON, PA— Led by five shutout innings from Thomas Dorminy and three RBI from center fielder James Harris, the first-place Wild Things won their seventh straight game to improve to 18-9 in a rained-shortened five-inning game Sunday.
Washington struggled against Joliet starter Shane Bryant early on. Bryant retired the first six men he faced before the Wild Things opened the scoring in the third inning. After third baseman Mike Hill led off with a walk, and designated hitter Louis Mele moved him to second on a groundout, Harris drove in his league-leading 30th run, scoring Hill on a single to center field to make it 1-0.
The Wild Things pulled away with three runs in the fifth. Once again, Hill got things started, this time with an infield single, and Mele again moved him to second on a groundout. Second baseman Brett Marr subsequently drove Hill home with a single, and that was followed by Harris' 31st and 32nd RBI of the year-- a total that leads the Frontier League-- as he launched his seventh home run of the season over the left center field wall. Harris' dinger ended up being the last at-bat of the game, as the rains came, and the contest was eventually called. Since the game was official, the score at the time of Harris' home run stood.
Dorminy bounced back from a rough outing in his last start Tuesday against Traverse City, improving to 4-1 by allowing just two hits, walking one and striking out five over five scoreless. For Joliet (10-16), Bryant fell to 0-3, allowing four earned runs on three hits while walking one and striking out three.
The Wild Things will look to continue their hot streak with a six-game road trip that starts with a three-game set against the Gateway Grizzlies. The first game of that series is scheduled to begin at 8:05 p.m. Eastern Tuesday.
