Complete Team Effort Leads Washington Past Joliet
WASHINGTON, Pa. (July 28) – The Washington Wild Things claimed victory over the Joliet Slammers during the first game of their weekend series on Friday night by a score of 8-2.
Justin Showalter shoved in another quality start for Washington, the eighth in the last 13 games for the club since the All-Star Break. Showalter pitched six complete innings, allowing two runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out four.
The Slammers led by two runs early in this one until Washington scored on sneaky double steal after Anthony Brocato hit a leadoff double and stole third earlier in the inning. The Wild Things cut their slim deficit to one.
Then after another leadoff double, this time by JC Santini the Wild Things tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Wes Darvill that brought home Santini. The Wild Things evened the score in the fifth.
Then Washington added even more runs starting with a leadoff double by Andrew Czech, who later scored on an RBI single by Wagner Lagrange. Then on a run-and-hit scenario Santini hit one through the right side to bring Lagrange across the dish. The electric inning continued as Robert Chayka hit an RBI single and Santini came around to score on a wild pitch. Washington would take the lead 6-2 at the end of the sixth.
The offense continued to pour into their big lead in the eighth inning as they added a pair off a two-run blast off the bat of Anthony Brocato that brought around Wes Darvill who had a leadoff walk to begin the inning.
Brocato’s home run was his 20th on the season and tied David Popkins' 2015 20-home run season for 4th place on the single-season home run record list. It’s also Washington’s first 20-homer year since then, with Brocato accomplishing the feat in 60 games played.
Matt Dallas and Christian James delivered three shutdown innings of relief allowing only one hit and one walk but gave up no runs and struck out three. Dallas got his first pro strikeout in his two innings of work.
Washington will look to keep the roll going tomorrow night in the middle game of their three-game series against the Slammers. Tomorrow night is Canonsburg Community Night presented by Matt Moser State Farm and the first 1,000 fans to enter the ballpark will receive a Chris Sidick Canon-Mac Bobblehead presented by Key Bank. It’s also Baseball For All Night. Tomorrow night's first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
