Washington Scores Seven Unanswered After Trailing 5-0 to Win Series
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 19) - Prior to tonight at Wild Things Park, the Wild Things' best comeback win of the season was erasing a four-run deficit June 13 versus Equipe Quebec. Thursday in Washington, the Wild Things came back from down 5-0 to win 7-5 with seven unanswered in the series finale against the Crushers to take the weekday series and the final meeting in Wild Things Park in 2021 between the two clubs.
Lake Erie started the scoring with RBI hits from Trevor Achenbach and Brody Wofford in the first inning. Zach Racusin doubled home a run in the second to make it 3-0 and the Crushers scored twice in the top of the sixth with RBI from Javier Betancourt and Shawon Dunston Jr., who had a three-hit night in the Lake Erie loss.
Tristan Peterson's first home run as a pro got Washington going in the home half of the sixth inning. It was a two-run homer that made it 5-2 before Grant Heyman, after reaching on a fielder's choice, scored when Bryan DeLaRosa tried to backpick to second to get Joe Campagna and made a throwing error. Washington then plated four in the seventh. Scotty Dubrule doubled to start the inning and scored on a single by Andrew Sohn, who then scored on a single by Bralin Jackson to tie the game at five aside. The next batter, left fielder Grant Heyman, blasted his eighth homer of the year to give Washington the lead and complete the comeback.
Dan Kubiuk worked a scoreless eighth to set up Zach Strecker's one-two-three ninth, which earned Strecker his 16th save of the year and the 68th of his career, putting him two behind Eric Massingham's career record of 70 saves as a Frontier League player.
Earlier in the night, Dubrule singled to extend his home-hit streak to a league best in 2021 18 games, his now league-high in 2021 on-base streak to 29 games and his current overall hit streak to 13 games, which matches a season-high for the rookie. He played in his 29th game tonight.
Jesus Balaguer earned the win after yielding two in the sixth but getting a big shut-down inning in the seventh.
Washington and Lake Erie continue the home and home with the series opener in Avon tomorrow at Mercy Health Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
