Washington Opens FLCS With 5-2 Victory

WASHINGTON, Pa. (Sept. 10) – Game one of the 2024 Frontier League Championship Series belongs to Washington after a big night from Ethan Wilder, five run-scoring innings and strong situational pitching in a 5-2 victory for the Wild Things. With the win, Washington leads the best of five series 1-0 as the series shifts to Game 2 in Washington tomorrow night.

Québec, which is looking for a three-peat, scored the first run of the series in the second on a homer by Justin Gideon that led off the inning. Washington responded immediately as Jalen Miller singled to start the second, stole second and went to third on a ground ball for an out before scoring on a sac fly by Ethan Wilder to even the game.

Washington starter Kobe Foster steadied as the Wild Things’ offense went to work. It’d score in the next four innings to make it five in a row in total to get to five runs for the night. In the third, Wagner Lagrange hit a two-out single to plate Tommy Caufield and make it 2-1. Wilder homered to right in the third for Washington’s first postseason homer. Tyreque Reed hit a sac fly to plate Caufield in the fifth and Ricardo Sanchez singled home McIlwain in the sixth.

The Capitales got a run in the top of the sixth on a solo homer by Kyle Crowl.

Foster worked six innings of four-hit ball. He allowed two runs on the homers with five strikeouts and two walks. Christian James walked two but fanned two in the seventh. Alex Carrillo walked the bases full but was able to dance out of the jam in the eighth. Gyeongju Kim saw the tying run come to the plate in the ninth but finished the job for the save, his second of the playoffs.

The win went to Foster, his second of the playoffs. The loss went to Québec starter Ryan Sandberg. Game two of the series is slated for tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. on a Senior Slugger Program Wednesday presented by AARP Pennsylvania. Fans 50 and older get in for free. Kids 12 and under also get in free thanks to St. Clair Health, the game’s presenting sponsor.

Tickets can be reserved or purchased at washingtonwildthings.com, by visiting the Ticket Return box office or by calling 866-456-WILD.