Hughes' Two-Run HR in 8th Powers Things to Win
JOLIET, Il. (June 15) - Trailing 3-2 to Joliet entering the eighth inning of Saturday's middle game, the Wild Things we in need of a big hit. They got it, as second baseman Shaine Hughes connected with his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, giving Washington a 4-3 lead for good, as they took the middle game 5-3 over the Slammers. Washington, with the win, won the first two games of a series for the first time in 2019.
Blake Adams, who started in centerfield, homered to center on the second pitch of the contest, giving the Wild Things an early lead.
After two scoreless in his Wild Things' and Frontier League debut, start Eric Morell was tagged for his first two hits allowed and first run allowed in the third, as Joliet was able to tie the game, before taking a 3-1 lead in the fifth with a two-run frame against Morell. As it turned out, Morell would get a no decision after five innings of three-run ball. He allowed four hits and walked three, to go along with three strikeouts.
Mikael Mogues lifted a sac fly to score Adams and make it 3-2 in the sixth before BJ Sabol worked a scoreless sixth and Jesus Balaguer a scoreless seventh. Balaguer ended up getting the win after the Hughes home run, which scored Brett Marr, who had singled to start the frame, gave Washington its second lead of the game. Hector Roa hit his sixth home run of the year two batters later to extend the Washington lead to 5-3, the game's final.
Zach Strecker, in his first save opportunity since May 23, worked two innings and went six up, six down with two strikeouts to earn his fourth save.
For the first time in 2019, the Wild Things will have a chance for a sweep Sunday, when the two teams meet up for the series finale.
