Washington Completes 5-0 Road Trip With Sweep-Clinching Win Sunday
TROY, NY (May 19) – The Washington Wild Things (5-3) completed a five-game, perfect road trip by taking the series finale at Tri-City (3-6), 5-3, holding on in the end, despite a Tri-City comeback effort that saw the tying run reach scoring position in the ninth inning.
Washington scored the first four runs of the game in support of right-handed starter Zach Kirby, who earned his first professional win in the game. In the first, Caleb McNeely hit a single to left off Brentwood High School product and Point Park alum Easton Klein to start the game. The next batter, shortstop Carson Clowers, homered to left center to make it 2-0. For Clowers, the home run was his second of the series and career after he hit his first Friday in the series opener.
Clowers scored after reaching on an infield single in the third on an RBI double by Tommy Caufield against Klein and Quincy Latimore took Klein deep to center for his second of the year in the fifth, making it 4-0 Wild Things.
Kirby fanned eight, matching his career high from August 19, 2023 against Evansville, in the effort. He allowed four hits and an unearned run that came in on an RBI single by Kyle Novak in the bottom of the fifth for the ‘Cats. Frankie Giuliano tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless ball. Nick MacDonald worked the next 1.2 innings and got tagged with an unearned run that scored on an error in the eighth inning. Prior to the run in the home eighth, Andrew Czech provided Washington a run with an RBI single that allowed Clowers to score for the third time in the game.
Heading to the ninth, Washington led 5-3 and summoned rookie righty Hunter Stevens to try and slam the door on the sweep. He did, but not before Tri-City used three walks and a fielder’s choice on which all runners advanced safely, to score a run on a wild pitch, make it 5-3 and bring the tying run to second. The ValleyCats would leave the bases loaded, however, leaving 14 on the day, as Oscar Campos bounced to short to end the threat, game and series.
Washington returns home for a six-game homestand starting Tuesday at 10:35 a.m. against the Evansville Otters. It’s Grand Slam School Day presented by EQT. No more public tickets remain available. A full list of promotions for the homestand is available at washingtonwildthings.com.
