Washington Loses Early Lead in Series Finale, Falls to Jackals
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 8) - Sunday at Wild Things Park, the Washington Wild Things got out to a 7-0 lead, but saw it slip away in the middle innings and their comeback fell short late in an 8-7 defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Jackals, which allowed New Jersey to take the weekend series.
Washington scored the first seven runs of the game within its first three at bats, including a five-run second inning. In the first, Scotty Dubrule singled home Andrew Sohn, who had tripled with one out in the frame to open the scoring. The single for Dubrule means he has a hit in 18 of 20 games to start his Wild Things' and pro career. It also extended Dubrule's on-base streak to 20 games in the same stretch.
In the second, Hector Roa led the inning off with his ninth homer of the campaign to make it 2-0. After a fly out, Tristan Peterson singled and scored when the next batter, catcher Cody Young, cleared the left field wall for a two-run home run that made it 4-0. Nick Ward singled after that and the next hitter to step in, Andrew Sohn, hit a two-run shot to left center to make it 6-0. It was Sohn's first as a Wild Thing. Washington scored its third-inning run on a run-scoring single by Joe Campagna that plated Hector Roa, who had singled, stole second and went to third on an error.
That's when the gates broke open for the Jackals. New Jersey scored six times in the fourth inning. All of the runs were charged to Washington starter McKenzie Mills over his 3.2 innings of work. Nicco Toni hit his third home run of the season, all of which have come against the Wild Things, a three-run homer, to bring it to 7-3. A few batters later, Demetrius Moorer scored after stealing second with the throw getting into centerfield. Todd Isaacs hit his third home run of the weekend to make it 7-5 directly after that. Finally, Santiago Chirino scored on a single by Jason Agresti that brought the score to 7-6.
New Jersey tied the game in the fifth on a solo homer from Stanley Espinal, his second in as many days, and took the lead when Dalton Combs blasted his fourth of the season to right in the sixth inning, completing the comeback and making it 8-7 Jackals.
Washington got a walk in the ninth issued to Nick Ward and he went to third on a single by Bralin Jackson to put the tying and winning runs aboard, but a fielder's choice ended the comeback effort.
The Wild Things head to Avon, Ohio, to start a three-game series with the Central Division's Lake Erie Crushers Tuesday. All three first pitches for the set are slated for 7:05 p.m. at Mercy Health Stadium. Washington sits 3.5 games back of first place in the Northeast Division after Sussex County was swept by Tri-City this weekend.
The Wild Things return home Friday for Wrestling Night and the first of three with the Florence Y'alls to conclude the season series with them. ECW Tommy Dreamer will be at Wild Things Park to kick off a great weekend. Get tickets for Wrestling Night presented by Fathead's Brewery, Augtoberfest presented by the Law Offices of Keith Owen Campbell Saturday and Disney Night on a Kids Eat Free Sunday presented by PA Cyber Sunday, August 15 at wildthingstickets.com.
