Strecker Records 50th Career Save, Austin His 5th QS in Victory
CRESTWOOD, Il. (August 1) - A three-run fifth inning rally with two outs proved to be the difference in a series-clinching victory for Washington. The Wild Things took Thursday's rubber game at Ozinga Field, 3-2.
Windy City scored a run in the first inning on an RBI triple by Chase Cockrell, which extended his hit streak to 13 games. The Bolts added a run in the fourth after loading the bases with nobody out. Micah Coffey drove home the only run Windy City would get despite the great chance.
It took until the fifth for Washington to respond, as Brett Marr ended a string of 10 in a row set down by Bolts' lefty Kenny Mathews with a two-out single. Blake Adams walked before JR David drove in his eighth run in a Wild Things' uniform to make it 2-1. After Shaine Hughes was hit by a pitch, Hector Roa went oppo on the ground down the first base and right field line for a two-run single that gave the Wild Things a 3-2 advantage.
Michael Austin, who started the game for Washington, allowed two of the first three to reach in the home fifth but was able to maintain the lead with a shutdown frame. He'd then end a quality start with a scoreless, one-two-three sixth frame. It was Austin's fifth quality start of the year, and he allowed two runs or fewer for the seventh time in his last eight starts.
James Meeker tossed a scoreless seventh. BJ Sabol tossed a scoreless eighth. Zach Strecker came on for the ninth to try for his 50th career save and ninth of the 2019 campaign and got it, as he stranded two singles.
The Wild Things now turn their attention to a four-game weekend series in Florence against the West-division-leading Freedom. The series opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET Friday night before a day-night doubleheader Saturday and the finale Sunday evening.
