WILD THINGS EEK OUT WIN VS THUNDERBOLTS
CRESTWOOD, Il. (July 21) – With an Anthony Brocato run-scoring fielder's choice, a Scotty Dubrule RBI groundout and a scoreless bottom of the ninth from Lukas Young who earned his seventh save, Washington snatched the series opener from the grasp of Windy City at Ozinga Field Friday night.
The Wild Things, for the sixth-straight game, saw their opponent strike first in what ended up being a well-pitched game. Ther ThunderBolts scored on a Peyton Isaacson RBI single in the home first.
Washington struck back in the second on a sac fly from JC Santini plating Robert Chayka, who had singled to start the frame. The Wild Things then scored to take a short-lived lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Chayka that scored Tristan Peterson. Peterson had tripled with one out.
The Bolts scored twice in the fourth on an RBI single by Dan Robinson and Troy Viola sac fly to take a 3-2 lead, which lasted until the ninth.
Windy City starter Garrett Christman allowed nine hits in his seven-inning start. Christman was tagged for two runs and posted four strikeouts. Washington starter Hayden Shenefield worked his fourth quality start of the nine he's made for the Wild Things. He allowed five hits and three runs with two strikeouts. Christian James worked a scoreless seventh, Justin Goossen-Brown a scoreless eighth and Young the scoreless ninth in the win. Goossen-Brown got the win, going to 4-0.
Washington scored twice in the ninth on the aforementioned fielder's choice and groundout to take and then hold the lead.
Another highlight was the debuting shortstop Carson Clowers, who posted a three-hit night, Washington's only such night in the opener.
The series shifts to the middle game tomorrow at 7:05/6:05 p.m. CT from Ozinga Field. Justin Showalter will look to guide Washington to back-to-back series victories. He'll be opposed by lefty Javier Reynoso for Windy City.
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (35-23) won the series opener 5-2 over the New York Boulders (33-23) on Friday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
Pavin Parks greeted July Sosa with a single in the first. Cito Culver cranked a two-run tater of the year to provide the ValleyCats with a 2-0 lead.
New York cut the deficit in half in the second. Matt McDermott hit a solo homer off Jhon Vargas to make it a 2-1 game.
Tri-City extended its lead back to two runs in the bottom of the third. Culver singled, and went to second on a groundout from Jakob Goldfarb. Oscar Campos then laced an RBI double to put the ValleyCats on top, 3-1.
Culver collected his third two-homer game of the year with a roundtripper in the fifth to pull the 'Cats ahead, 4-1. It was his ninth long ball of the season.
The Boulders trimmed the deficit to two in the sixth. Tucker Nathans walked. Pat Kivlehan singled Nathans to third. Thomas Walraven picked up an RBI single to make it a 4-2 affair.
Tri-City delivered an insurance run in the seventh. Culver and Goldfarb both worked one-out walks off Ryder Yakel. Culver swiped third, and Campos lifted a sac fly to give the ValleyCats a 5-2 lead.
Vargas (5-4) earned the win. He hurled six frames in his Tri-City debut, yielding two runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out a ValleyCats season-high 10 batters.
Sosa (4-2) received the loss. He went five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking two, and striking out three.
Blake Workman bridged the gap to Coleman Huntley with two perfect frames. Huntley recorded his second save of the year after tossing a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit, walking none, and striking out one.
Tri City returns to Joe Bruno tomorrow, Saturday, July 22 for the middle game against New York. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Before another outstanding Friday night crowd at Wintrust Field, the Schaumburg Boomers exploded late to down the Trois-Riveres Aigles 13-1 in the opener of a six-game homestand on Friday night.
Scoreless into the bottom of the sixth, Chase Dawson became the franchise's all-time leader in hits with the 334th of his Schaumburg career, fittingly a one-out triple. Dawson scored when Kyle Fitzgerald lifted a sacrifice fly to give Schaumburg the lead. The flood gates opened in the seventh with five runs on RBI singles from Dawson, Fitzgerald, Brett Milazzo and a wild pitch. The Boomers added seven more in the eighth to ensure the series opening victory and batted around in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Juan Pichardo picked up the win in relief, retiring six of the seven batters he faced. Kobey Schlotman returned from the injures list to start and tossed five blank frames. Kristian Scott and Dylan Stutsman also appeared in the win. The Boomers finished with 14 hits. Dawson and Zach Huffins both notched three. Every member of the lineup reached base at least once in the victory. Fitzgerald finished with three RBIs.
Evansville, Ind. – Zach Smith worked seven innings of one-run ball as the Evansville Otters cruised past the Empire State Greys 6-1 Friday night at Bosse Field. Smith worked four in-order innings and struck out six batters. He allowed just one run and three hits in his seven innings on the mound to earn his fifth win and seventh quality start of the season. Evansville used two homers to propel their offense. Noah Myers led off the Otters' bats with a solo home run to right in the first inning for his 10th homer of the year. Empire State tied the game on a walk and single in the top of the fourth. Jeffrey Baez responded with a 412 foot solo home run down the left field line to leadoff the fourth, good for his team-leading 14th home run of the season. The Otters plated three more runs in the seventh inning. Dakota Phillips hit a two-RBI double and Ethan Skender followed with an RBI single. Myers extended his hit streak to 12 games. Baez finished the day with three hits. Jon Beymer pitched the final two innings for the Otters with two strikeouts. Evansville pitching has allowed just six total hits over the last two games pitched. The Otters' offense has smashed 15 home runs in the seven games since returning from the All-Star Break. The Otters face the Greys in the middle game of the series Saturday evening as part of HOT96 FM and YMCA's Wizards Night.
Ottawa, ON - A two-hour rain delay did not phase the Ottawa Titans (29-29), as they took care of business with a 9-2 victory over the Florence Y'alls (25-33) on Friday.
Jamey Smart and Taylor Wright led the way offensively for the Titans in the series opener. Smart cashed in with a 4-for-5 performance with two doubles and four RBI while Wright went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI.
After taking the lead in the first off a Smart RBI double, Jackie Urbaez doubled the advantage with a single to centre in the second inning.
In the fourth, Smart cleared the bases against right-hander Jake McMahill (loss, 2-4) with a three-run double to centre.
The run support was plenty for Damon Casetta-Stubbs (win, 3-3), who tossed six shutout frames for the victory. The right-hander allowed just four hits, walked two, and struck out five.
With a run in the fifth, Taylor Wright launched a three-run blast to centre off Rodney Hutchison, making it 9-0.
Gleyvin Pineda allowed a pair of unearned runs on two hits in the eighth, seeing the shutout bid expire. In the ninth, Taylor Wright worked a three-up-three-down frame to secure the victory.
