Washingtons Wins Middle Game With Comeback, Big Sixth
EVANSVILLE, In. (August 12) – Washington won in comeback fashion Saturday, using a five-run sixth inning to take the lead and never look back in the middle game at Evansville. The 9-5 win secured the series victory for the Wild Things.
Washington got on the board first in the second as Robert Chayka hit a one-out double, stole third and scored on a wild pitch. That was around a dominant start from Evansville lefty Braden Scott. He fanned seven in the first three innings and ended up striking out nine in the first five innings of his start.
While that was happening, Evansville had its leadoff man on in each of the first five frames and scored at least a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Jeffrey Baez grounded in a run in the third after the Otters had runners at second and third with nobody out. That tied things at 1-1. Evansville got three in the fourth highlighted by a two-run single from Bryan Rosario. In the fifth, the Otters scored on an RBI single by Jomar Reyes.
That was when the Wild Things got going. In the sixth, Washington plated five runs on three hits, drew two walks and had a batter hit by a pitch. Wagner Lagrange doubled home a run, Chayka was hit by a pitch with the bags full and, a few batters later, Scotty Dubrule lined a double to the right-field corner to clear the bases and give Washington a 6-5 lead.
The Wild Things added three in the seventh after Christian James worked the first one-two-three inning of the night on the mound for the visitors in the sixth for a shutdown inning. The runs in the seventh were on Anthony Brocato’s 24th homer of the year and a two-run knock by Chayka.
Brocato’s homer matches the second-best single-season homer total in Wild Things history. Grant Psomas (2009) and Josh Loggins (2003) hit 24 home runs in a season in the past for Washington. The Wild Things’ record is 31 homers (Jacob Dempsey, 2009).
James ended up working a second scoreless frame, Kyle White logged a zero in the eighth and Justin Goossen-Brown finished the game in the ninth.
Washington goes for its second sweep of 2023 tomorrow afternoon when it plays the Otters at Bosse Field. The win Saturday puts Washington 5.5 games back of a playoff spot, chasing third-place Evansville, with 19 to go. Four of those are against Evansville. First pitch of Sunday’s finale is slated for 1:35/12:35 p.m. CT.
