Washington Gets Help, But Falters in Ninth in Opener
LITTLE FALLS, NJ (September 7) - Going into Tuesday's series opener at Yogi Berra Stadium, Washington sported a magic number of two for the Northeast Division crown. In order to clinch tonight, Washington needed help from the Tri-City ValleyCats in their series opener against the Sussex County Miners and to win. Tri-City won as Washington played through the late stages, but a five-run ninth that included a three-run homer and a two-run walk-off home run by Josh Rehwaldt sank Washington in the series opener, 9-7. The magic number remains at one.
New Jersey got on the board first in the series opener in the first inning. Hector Roa never saw a fly ball to shallow center and shortstop Nick Ward couldn't quite make the grab on the run. Dalton Combs scored on Justin Wylie's single.
The Wild Things scored the next six runs of the contest, answering with a run in the second on an RBI single by Andrew Czech. Then, Washington plated five in the third and chased New Jersey starter Jason Zgardowski from the contest. The first five batters of the inning all reached. The first four singled and then Hector Roa drew his second walk of the night. The third batter in the frame, Bralin Jackson, got RBI number 64 on the year with a single through the right side before Grant Heyman got to 49 RBI on the campaign with a two-run base hit to make it 4-1 Washington. Later in the frame, Trevor Casanova lifted a sac fly and a fifth run scored on a wild pitch.
The Jackals got two in the bottom of the inning in the third against Washington starter Ben Vicini in what turned out to be his final inning. Justin Wylie knocked home two with a single in the effort. Vicini ended up tossing three innings and allowing four hits and three earned. Kevin McNorton tossed three scoreless in his first outing since returning from the injured list but didn't get a decision.
Dan Kubiuk pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the loss He gave up a home run to Justin Wylie to get him to four RBI on the night. BJ Sabol finished the eighth scoreless in his outing.
Andrew Sohn homered to make it 7-4 in the top of the ninth. A three-run homer by Todd Isaacs tied the game against Zach Strecker before Josh Rehwaldt's two-run walk-off sealed the game for New Jersey.
The series against the Jackals continues tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Washington will clinch the division crown with a win OR a loss by Sussex County to New Jersey.
