Washington Drops Both Games of Doubleheader to Southern Illinois
WASHINGTON, Pa. (May 23) -The Washington Wild Things kicked off a six-game homestand on Wednesday by welcoming the Southern Illinois Miners for a doubleheader. The Miners pitching staff was dominant in both contests, with the visitors winning game one 4-0 and game two 3-2. The Wild Things managed just two runs and seven hits in the doubleheader.
Game one featured stellar pitching between Washington starter Chase Cunningham and Southern Illinois starter Robby Rowland. The first half of the doubleheader was scoreless until the top of the third inning, when Southern Illinois shortstop John Holland brought in second baseman Marc Dileo on an error by Washington shortstop Justin Bohn to make it 1-0. Catcher Chance Shepard extended the Miners lead to 3-0 in the next at-bat, as he smacked a two-run home run over the center field fence, his fifth of the year.
In the bottom half of the third inning, Wild Things center fielder James Harris roped a double off the left-center fence with two outs and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. The Wild Things two-out rally was stopped after second baseman Carter McEachern grounded out to Holland to end the third. Rowland (3-0) would retire the next 12 Washington batters consecutively and allowed just three total hits on the way to his third win of the season.
Southern Illinois added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Dileo drove in Joe Dudek on a two-out RBI double off the right center fence.
Cunningham (0-1) took his first loss in his third start of 2018, despite throwing a complete game five hitter. Cunningham only allowed one earned run, with the other three being unearned.
Game two was no different in the opening frames as Southern Illinois starter Kurt Heyer and Washington starter Mike Anthony made quick work of hitters. Anthony retired the first seven Miners' batters, while Heyer had five strikeouts through the first three innings. Washington did however strike first, as catcher Kyle Pollock drilled a solo shot to give the Wild Things a 1-0 lead in the second.
After a scoreless third, Southern Illinois responded with two runs in the top of the fourth thanks to catcher Ben Moore’s two-RBI double to give the Miners a 2-1 advantage.
Washington would answer and tie the game at two in the bottom of the fourth, as first baseman Reydel Medina drove in right fielder Hector Roa on a double, his seventh RBI of the season.
The Miners offense took the lead back in the top of the fifth, as Romeo Cortina brought in center fielder Chris Scura on an RBI single to center field to give them a 3-2 advantage. After the Cortina RBI single, the Wild Things went to the bullpen and put Trevor Bradley on the hill to replace Anthony with two outs in the fifth. Anthony (0-1) took his first loss of the season in his first professional start.
Heyer (2-1) threw six complete innings for Southern Illinois and allowed two earned runs with five hits, seven strikeouts and one walk. John Werner replaced Heyer in the seventh inning and earned his third save of the season in the Miners' 3-2 victory.
Southern Illinois (6-5) will look to complete the road sweep tomorrow night while Washington (5-6) will attempt to avoid their first sweep of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 Thursday at Wild Things Park.
