Wild Things Win Opener of Homestand Behind Foster Gem, McNeely Grand Slam
WASHINGTON, Pa. (June 4) – The first-place Washington Wild Things earned an 8-2 victory over the Windy City ThunderBolts on Tuesday night at Wild Things Park. The Wild Things donned alternate black jerseys with pink accents for Black Out Breast Cancer presented by 84 Lumber. The jerseys were auctioned off to fans with all proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society.
Washington got on the board early with a run in the bottom of the first. Caleb McNeely led off the frame with a single then advanced to third on a passed ball. Tommy Caufield brought him home with a groundout to first base. McNeely pushed the advantage to two runs in the second with a groundout to score JC Santini.
Robert Chayka hit an RBI ground-rule double to left field, scoring Caufield, in the third inning. Caufield opened the inning by reaching base on an error then stole second. Windy City threatened to add a few runs of their own in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Starting pitcher Kobe Foster worked out of the jam for Washington with a punch out and a pop out.
The Wild Things broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth with some two-out lightning. Chayka singled, Santini walked and Evan Berkey utilized a perfectly-executed bunt to load the bases. McNeely brought them all home with a grand slam to right field to make it 7-0, igniting the crowd at Wild Things Park.
Foster tossed another stellar outing on the mound for Washington with eight strikeouts to just three hits in six scoreless innings of work. It was his fourth-straight quality start. Nick MacDonald entered the game in relief of Foster in the seventh. JR Heavilin doubled to the gap in right center to score Joe Encarnacion for the ThunderBolts’ first run of the game.
Frankie Giuliano took the bump for the Wild Things in the eighth inning. Windy City loaded the bases, but Giuliano got out of the inning without giving up a run. Washington put the final touches on the win in the bottom of the frame. Wagner Lagrange singled up the middle to bring in McNeely. Justin Goossen-Brown closed out the ninth for the Wild Things. Goose fanned a batter en route to wrapping up the team’s 15th win of the season.
The Wild Things and ThunderBolts square off for game two of the series at 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday evening. It is Senior Slugger Program Wednesday presented by AARP Pennsylvania at Wild Things Park.
