Wild Things Win Fourth Straight in Close Middle Game at ValleyCats

TROY, NY (May 18) – A bit unconventional was the middle game in Troy at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium for what the road trip has been so far for the Washington Wild Things, but in the end, the result was the same, as Washington won its fourth-straight contest, 2-1.

Kobe Foster spun a quality start on the mound for the Wild Things (4-3), throwing 6.2 innings of one-run ball. Tri-City (3-5) scored its only run of the game in the third inning off Foster. Jaxon Hallmark singled home Tyson Gingerich to make it 1-0 ValleyCats. Foster ended up the winning pitcher with five hits allowed, the run, five strikeouts and one walk. He’s 1-0.

The early efforts included a spectacular catch by Alex Ovalles in right field up against the wall.

Washington didn’t really get anything going until the seventh inning in the game at “The Joe.” To that point, Robert Chayka and Alex Ovalles had hits, two of Washington’s three in the game. With Washington 0-for-10 with runners on base in the game and two outs in the seventh, Caleb McNeely stepped in and delivered the only big hit of the night for Washington, but it was the only one they needed. McNeely homered for the second-straight night to right center, making it 2-1 as Evan Berkey, who was hit by a pitch, scored on the longball as well.

In the bottom of the seventh, Foster allowed a two-out single to Lamar Briggs in what turned out to be the final batter he faced. Justin Goossen-Brown entered and fanned a pinch-hitting Dylan Broderick to keep it 2-1 Washington. Alex Carrillo pitched a scoreless eighth around a two-out double by Hallmark, and Gyeongju Kim earned his second save, getting around a two-out single and striking out two in the ninth.

Of other note, Washington’s Andrew Czech walked in the fourth, extending his on-base streak to 39 games, growing on his franchise record in that category, while McNeely’s on-base streak has reached 21 games.

The series continues Sunday with the finale, scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at “The Joe” in Troy. Zach Kirby will make the start for Washington, his first of the year and will be opposed by Tri-City’s Easton Klein, a Point Park grad. 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).