FLCS Game 2 Primer - vs Québec Capitales
WASHINGTON, Pa. (Sept. 11) - After a win in Game 1 Tuesday night, the Wild Things look to get to the doorstep of a Frontier League Championship in Game 2 Wednesday night in what will be the final home game of the 2024 campaign at Wild Things Park. The Frontier League Championship Series rolls on in Washington, PA.
Last night, Washington earned a 5-2 victory as Ethan Wilder drove in two early, Tommy Caufield and Jalen Miller notched multi-hit efforts, Kobe Foster made a second quality start in the postseason and the bullpen bent but did not break even for a crack late. Québec started the scoring on a solo homer by Justin Gideon in the second inning before Washington got to work, scoring in the next five turns to the plate for the club. Wilder lifted a second-inning sac fly to plate Miller, Wagner Lagrange singled home Caufield, Wilder homered, Tyreque Reed hit a sac fly and Ricardo Sanchez lined a single to center to plate Brandon McIlwain.
In the midst of that scoring, Kyle Crowl hit a solo shot for the Capitales in the top of the sixth. With the game at 5-2 after Foster's sixth-inning exit and the Sanchez RBI single, the game turned to the Washington bullpen. Christian James walked two but struck out two in a scoreless seventh inning. Alex Carrillo found the bases full in the eighth before stranding all of those runners on and Gyeongju Kim saw a Québec hitter reach on an error then walked a batter, before dealing his way to his second save of the postseason. The win puts Washington two wins away from stopping Québec's bid for the first three-peat in league history.
Dariel Fregio, who was the winning pitching in Game 2 of the FLDS against Lake Erie following a six-up, six-down outing, will take the ball for the Wild Things in game 2. Fregio was 9-4 with a 4.07 ERA during the regular season but since June 27, a six-inning, two base-runner outing at Gateway, he's been great. Ten of Fregio's last 11 outings to end the regular campaign were quality starts with the lone exception being in Joliet August 3, a start in which he allowed four hits and three runs in 4.1 innings. He ended the regular season in a no decision August 30 at home against Schaumburg with seven innings of four-hit, two-run ball and struck out six. He'll make his debut against the Capitales in Game 2 of the FLCS.
Québec will send 2024 Frontier League Pitcher of the Year James Bradwell to the mound. Bradwell is a righty in his first season, technically speaking, with the Capitales. He was a member of the Equipe Quebec roster in 2021 before spending 2022-23 with the Trois-Rivieres Aigles. Bradwell was 12-0 this season in 23 games (18 starts), the first 18 starts of his pro career. He sported a 2.72 ERA in 109.1 innings of work with 97 strikeouts to 33 walks. He's made three career appearances against Washington, all from the pen. In those three appearances, he's accumulated four total innings of work and allowed nine hits and 10 runs with four walks and two punchouts.
The series will shift to Stade Canac after tonight's game for Game 3 Friday at 7:05 p.m. Game four, if necessary, is slated for Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and Game 5, if necessary, is set for Sunday at 5:05 p.m.
You can watch the game with a subscription to FloBaseball or listen for free on the Wild Things' MixLR channel. First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase for $5 online, at the box office or by calling 866-456-WILD. Kids 12 and under get in free thanks to St. Clair Health and fans 50 and older get in for free as part of the Senior Slugger Program presented by AARP Pennsylvania. $1 hot dogs are also available tonight for purchase, courtesy of Berks Foods.
