Washington Pulls Away in Middle Game, Evens Series
AVON, Ohio (August 9) – Washington got the fortune of a six-run frame in the seventh inning of tonight’s middle game in Avon, Ohio, and used it to pull away from the Crushers and take the game to even the series, 12-4. There was a catch to the frame, or, lack thereof, as the Crushers made four errors in the frame and Washington only boasted one hit in the seventh. That didn’t matter in the end, as Washington did enough around it anyway.
The Wild Things scored the first run of the game in the first on Wes Darvill’s second homer of the season. The Wild Things added to it with a three-run third. Two of those runs were unearned after an error. Wagner Lagrange doubled home a pair and then Tristan Peterson snapped a hitless string to plate a run with a ground ball through the middle, making it 4-0.
Lake Erie would erase that deficit in the next two turns at the dish, all by the work of Josh Rego. He hit a three-run homer in the fourth and singled home a run in the fifth.
Washington took the lead back immediately in the sixth on an RBI double by Robert Chayka. Then the flood gates opened in the seventh. The Wild Things had the aforementioned six-run frame with one hit, an RBI single by Chayka, and also got RBI from Scotty Dubrule and Anthony Brocato. In total, Lake Erie made four of its six errors in the inning, and the game was busted wide open at 11-4.
Things quieted on the Lake Erie side with the bullpen in for Washington after the starter Justin Showalter pitched five innings of four-run ball. He got the win. Kyle White, Matt Dallas and Stephen Knapp combined to throw the final four frames scoreless in the series-evening victory.
In the ninth, Tomas Sanchez stepped in for Anthony Brocato as a pinch hitter and homered to left for his first pro hit and home run with one swing in what was his second game as a Wild Thing, extending the lead to the final of 12-4.
The rubber game of the series is slated for tomorrow. Chayka, Peterson, Lagrange and Darvill each had two hits in tonight’s win. Tomorrow, Dariel Fregio goes for Washington. The reigning Frontier League Pitcher of the Week will be opposed by righty Yasel Santana for the Crushers.
