Wild Things Deal Blow After Blow Late to Knockouts
BROCKTON, Ma. (May 14) – The Washington Wild Things scored 12 runs in the final third of the ballgame to deal a knockout blow to New England in the series opener in Brockton, thus notching their first win of the 2024 season. The final was 14-5 and the game was highlighted by five RBI from Caleb McNeely and Andrew Czech setting a new franchise record.
The first three innings went by with relative ease for both starting pitchers. The scoring began in the fourth when Czech blasted his fourth home run of the season to right field. He’s got four homers in four games and this one extended his on-base streak, which dates back to 2023, to 36 games, which is a new franchise record. He tied the now previous record Sunday, set by Shaun Argento in 2002 at 35 games.
New England responded and jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by Brady West. Washington evened the game back up in the top of the fifth on an infield hit by Tommy Caufield, but the tie was short-lived. The first two batters of the fifth were walked by starter Malik Barrington and the next hitter, shortstop JR DiSarcina, hit a three-run homer to left to give the Knockouts a 5-2 lead.
That ended the night for Barrington after the inning. He went five, walked four, struck out six, which matched a career high, and allowed the five runs in a no decision.
After being blanked in the sixth, Justin Goossen-Brown entered and worked a perfect sixth, allowing Washington a chance. In the top of the seventh, Andrew Czech delivered a run-scoring single and Tyreque Reed came through with a two-run double to tie the game at 5-5. After a scoreless seventh by Goossen-Brown, the Wild Things plated five in the eighth. Caleb McNeely hit a two-run triple and scored on an error on the throw to third. Quincy Latimore then hit a two-run shot to left, which is his first home run of the campaign.
Washington added four in the ninth, three on McNeely’s first homer of the season and the final tally on an error.
Goossen-Brown got the victory, advancing to 1-1, while Alex Carrillo and Nick MacDonald finished the game with scoreless innings each. McNeely posted the lone three-hit night for the Wild Things, while Caufield, Latimore, Czech and Reed each had two hits. Carson Clowers also contributed two hits.
The Wild Things and Knockouts turn their attention now to the middle game of the series. Jordan DiValerio will toe the rubber for the Wild Things tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. A live broadcast is available from the Wild Things Baseball Network, beginning with pre-game coverage at 6 p.m. on FloBaseball (subscription required) or MixLR (free).
