Bullpen Shuts Out Bolts, Wilder Reaches Five Times in Sunday Win
CRESTWOOD, Il. (May 11) – The Washington Wild Things pounded out 10 hits and scored 10 times while the staff turned in solid work on the hill to salvage a game in the weekend series to open the season at Ozinga Field against the ThunderBolts, winning 10-2.
The party got started in the first inning for the Wild Things as they struck first for the first time this season. Caleb McNeely led the inning off with a double, stole third and scored on a bouncing ball back through the box by Jeff Liquori. Windy City evened the score in the second, scoring on an RBI single by Winder Diaz. The Wild Things re-took the lead in the top of the third on an RBI knock by Ethan Wilder scoring Andrew Czech, but the lead was short-lived as the Bolts tied it back up in the bottom half on a single by Christian Kuzemka.
That’d be all she wrote for the Bolts in the finale, as Washington plated the next and final eight runs of the game. In the fifth, a wild pitch scored Liquori from third. The seventh saw Wilder drive in another with a hit and Brett Roberts draw a bases-loaded walk. In the eighth, Tyreque Reed grounded home Caleb McNeely. Finally, the ninth came and went with Washington grabbing four runs on bases-loaded free passes. Roberts was hit by a pitch and Willie Estrada, Liquori and Czech all drew walks to bring a run home.
Marlon Perez started and got a no decision tag after four innings of four-hit, two-run ball. He threw a career-high 57 pitches, 39 for strikes, struck out four and walked one. Jake Carroll relieved him and allowed just a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in three frames. The game was finished with scoreless innings by Jackson Hicks and Jacob McCaskey, who combined to whiff three.
After a three-hit night on Friday, Wilder had one of the three Washington hits in Saturday’s game and grabbed four more Sunday in a 4-for-4 effort. He also walked. Tommy Caufield added a pair of hits including his third double as well. Liquori and Roberts had two-RBI games.
Washington returns home at 1-2 for a short, three-game opening homestand that starts Tuesday against the Ottawa Titans for the home opener, presented by EQT with postgame fireworks and pregame ceremonies on tap. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are available at washingtonwildthings.com.
