Washington Wins 6-1 to Set Up Potential Series Split
AUGUSTA, NJ (August 4) - In the third of an important four-game series at Sussex County, Washington was in command bell-to-bell, taking it 6-1 and gaining its first win against the first-place Miners in the Northeast. The division deficit is now 5.5 games.
Washington struck first after both teams came up empty in their first two trips to the dish despite having runners aboard. In the third, Washington plated two, the first of which came in on an RBI triple by Nick Ward off the right-center wall and scored Andrew Czech, who lined a single to right the batter before. Ward scored when Andrew Sohn, the next batter, lifted a sac fly to right.
Sussex County got on the board in the fourth inning when Audy Ciriaco singled in Trevin Esquerra to cut Washington's lead to one. The first three batters in the inning reached with that single and the Miners loaded the bases later in the frame, but like they did in the second, left the bags full in the frame, scoring nothing more. Washington got the run back in the fifth when Ward brought home Cody Young, who had singled on a dribbler toward third with one out, with a sac fly to center.
Washington starter Steven Colon worked through traffic and managed to get through five innings of one-run ball for his second win of the season. He's 2-0. Colon allowed five hits, walked four and fanned four in the effort. His opposition lasted six and change, but allowed eight hits and five runs (two earned) when his line was final. Alexander Vargas was charged with two more runs when Washington plated two in the seventh.
On a chopper by Cody Young that ended up being a fielder's choice allowing him to reach, Vargas attempted to come home with a toss to try and get Hector Roa who was headed home on contact. Catcher Daniel Herrera dropped the ball and Roa scored before Ward brought home Trevor Casanova with another sac fly to center, his second of the game that gave him his third RBI of the night. Casanova had singled to extend his hit streak to a modest five games.
After Ben Vicini got through two scoreless innings, Washington threatened in the eighth by getting two aboard. Scotty Dubrule extended his on-base streak to 15 games by walking and, after being picked at 15 times, went to third on a base hit by Roa, who was then picked at four times. A groundout ended the inning.
Dan Kubiuk pitched a scoreless eighth with a strikeout. Washington added a run in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk to Dubrule. Zach Strecker worked a scoreless ninth to finish the contest.
Washington will look to earn a series split in the finale of the four-game set tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. at Skylands Stadium.
