Series Opener Literally Bounces Away From Washington
AVON, Ohio (August 8) – In a year where Washington can’t seemingly get a bounce here or a bounce there, it was a bounce by a throw off a helmet in the 10th that allowed international tie-breaker rule runner Jarrod Watkins to score and lift Lake Erie to a 2-1 series-opening victory Tuesday in Avon.
In a pitcher’s duel, Washington starter Zach Kirby went a career-best seven frames and struck out a new career-high six. He allowed just a fifth inning run on a sac fly by Jiandido Tromp that gave Lake Erie a 1-0 lead. It was Kirby’s second-straight quality start but he didn’t factor into the decision.
Washington was handled pretty well in the pitcher’s ballpark by Lake Erie starter Angelo Baez, whom the Wild Things couldn’t crack until the seventh inning. Scotty Dubrule singled home Wagner Lagrange after he had singled for the second time in the game to start the inning, went to second on a bunt single by Andrew Czech and to third on a sac bunt by Robert Chayka. It was the only run the Wild Things scored.
Baez threw seven innings of five-hit ball and allowed the run with a walk and nine strikeouts. Christian James threw two scoreless to get it to extras out of the pen while Darrien Ragins, Sam Curtis and Perry Bewley worked scoreless innings for the Crushers, with Bewley’s being the 10th, which got him the win.
Lukas Young suffered the loss after it appeared he’d be a batter away from getting the game to sudden death. The winning run is unearned against him.
Washington and Lake Erie will play the middle game of the series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.
