Kirby's Good Start, McNeely's Homer Lift Wild Things to Win
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 17) – Behind a strong start from Zach Kirby and a three-run blast by Caleb McNeely in the fifth inning of Saturday’s middle game against Lake Erie, the Wild Things brought their West Division magic number down to seven with a 3-2 win at home.
Kirby worked his 10th quality start of the season in what turned out to be his eighth win of 2024 in the contest. He logged six innings of two-run ball and allowed just five hits with nine strikeouts, matching a career and season in the category. He walked two.
Lake Erie started the scoring in the third on an RBI single by Jake Guenther, making it 1-0. Washington was quiet on offense until the fifth when Brandon McIlwain and Ethan Wilder both walked to start the inning and were bunted forward on the bases by JC Santini. Caleb McNeely, with the count 2-2, drilled his 18th homer of the campaign to left to give Washington a 3-1 lead.
Guenther responded with a solo homer in the next half, but that was all the Crushers would get. Christian James struck out the side in the seventh in order. Alex Carrillo struck out the side in the eighth around a walk and a single. Gyeongju Kim allowed two baserunners in the ninth but eventually escaped damage and earned his 22nd save of the season, the most in the Frontier League.
Washington goes for the series sweep of third-place Lake Erie tomorrow at 5:35 p.m. It’s Harry Potter Night presented by Fired Up Art Studio on a Blueprints Kids Eat Free Sunday. Tickets are available at washingtonwildthings.com or at the Ticket Return Box Office, which is also available by phone at 866-456-WILD.
