Late Offense, Situational Pitching Lift Wild Things to Win in Joliet

JOLIET, Il. (July 30) – The Washington Wild Things got a big day from Jalen Miller, good situational pitching late and late offense, helped by a key eighth-inning error by the Slammers as well, to earn a series-opening win at Joliet, 5-3.

Zach Kirby got the start for the Wild Things after an excellent return to the mound in the series against Lake Erie last Wednesday. He worked another quality start giving up three runs (two earned) in six innings of his hard-fought outing while striking out four.

The Wild Things would strike first in the top of the first. Caleb McNeely scored on a wild pitch by Slammers starter Zac Westcott after a leadoff single to start the ballgame and advancing to third on two groundouts.

Washington added on in the top of the second when right fielder Brandon McIIwain hit a sacrifice fly scoring Jalen Miller who had hit a one-out double and advanced to third on an error.

Designated hitter Jonathan Sierra would get the Slammers on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double scoring first baseman Matthew Warkentin, who reached on an error to lead off the inning. Joliet would later take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, two-run double by Warkentin, scoring Liam McArthur and Chris Davis.

Washington got the first two runners on in the sixth but failed to score, but it was topped by Joliet in the close game in the bottom half. The Slammers looked to add on their one-run lead in the bottom half of the inning with bases loaded and nobody out. However, Kirby would prove why he was selected as a Frontier League All-Star and is one of the top pitchers in the league by getting out of that bases-loaded jam by striking out two and inducing an inning-ending pop out by McArthur to end his night on a high note.

Then, in the top half of the seventh, the Wild Things would capitalize on the momentum shift as Jalen Miller, who had been struggling since the All-Star break, would hit a missile over the left field wall for his second home run as a Wild Thing to tie the ballgame up at 3-3.

Washington took the lead back the top of the eighth. Designated hitter Andrew Czech lined a clutch, bases-loaded single to right scoring McNeely. Prior to that, Tyreque Reed reached on a fielder's choice that saw Tommy Caufield stay on base via an error on a missed catch by Antonio Valdez while trying to attempt a double play. After Czech’s single, Miller would add to his great night at the plate with an RBI single of his own scoring Caulfield to make it a 5-3 lead.

The Wild Things bullpen would slam the door on any opportunity that the Slammers wanted to get to as Nick MacDonald, Christian James, Brendan Nail and closer Gyeongju Kim would work together to throw three scoreless innings.

The Wild Things look to take the series tomorrow at 11:05/10:05 a.m. CT as Dariel Fregio looks to cap off his excellent month of July on the mound against Joliet’s Geno Encina. You can watch the game with a subscription to FloSports or listen for free on MixLR.