Washington Takes Rubber Game With Pitching, 7-Run 4th
EVANSVILLE, In. (May 14) – The Washington Wild Things scored seven times in the fourth inning of Sunday’s season-opening series finale at Bosse Field and that was plenty to win the rubber game of the set, 7-1 to close to set with a series win. Washington’s pitching staff dominated after the first inning and throughout, holding the Otters to a run on four hits.
Evansville scored in the first inning after starting with back-to-back singles by Noah Myers and Jeffrey Baez. Two batters and a double steal later, Jomar Reyes plated Myers with a groundout to short. That was all Evansville got. The Otters didn’t get another hit until two against Lukas Young in the ninth, but no more runs came across.
Spencer Johnston, in his Wild Things’ debut, got the win after throwing five innings of two-hit, one-run ball. He fanned five. Arrison Perez and Anthony Boix threw scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh, respectively, in their pro debuts. Perez struck a batter out and Boix whiffed two. Christian James worked a scoreless eighth before Young closed the game in the ninth, sans a save.
Washington had collected three hits before the fourth, but exploded offensively against starter Justin Watland in that fourth. Aided by two walks and five hits, the Wild Things plated seven runs to take the lead for good in the rubber game. The barrage started with a double by Wagner Lagrange and a walk to Tristan Peterson. Those two and Andrew Czech, the next batter, scored on a three-run blast by Czech, the Wild Things’ first homer of the season. Anthony Brocato followed that with a double and scored on a single by Ian Walters, who scored along with Harrison Ray (after a walk to him) on a two-run base knock by Scotty Dubrule. Dubrule then was plated by Lagrange, who hit his second double of the inning to make it 7-1.
The Wild Things are next in action Tuesday in the team’s home opener of the 2023 season, when they welcome the New York Boulders from the East Division into town. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. May 16 with tickets still available at 724-250-9555, washingtonwildthings.com or at the TicketSmarter Box Office. If you can’t make it to Opening Night, presented by Webber Advisors, watch the game on FloSports at bit.ly/flosportswt or on the FloSports app (subscription required).
