WASHINGTON TAKES SERIES FROM WINDY CITY - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP

WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE

WASHINGTON WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT, TAKES SERIES FROM T-BOLTS

WASHINGTON, PA - The Washington Wild Things cruised to a 7-3 victory over the Windy City ThunderBolts at Wild Things Park on Saturday night.

Washington (32-17) has now won four games in a row and has taken their last two series. 2B Ethan Wilder made things happen for the Wild Things in the first few innings, opening the scoring with an RBI groundout in the second and singling in another run in the third. Leading 2-0 in the third, the Wild Things managed another run after a wild pitch on a strikeout. In the sixth, a big error allowed Windy City (20-31) to scratch across two runs and get within one. RF Robert Chayka reestablished a two-run lead with an RBI double in the seventh. After a walk loaded the bases, SS Carson Clowers cleared them with a double into right field to make it 7-2. The ThunderBolts managed one more run late, but ultimately fell 7-3. RHP Dariel Fregio earned the win behind six strong innings in which he struck out seven. RHP Ruddy Gomez took the loss.

The Wild Things will go for the sweep in the finale on Sunday. First pitch is at 5:35 PM EDT.

TWO BIG HOMERS PROPEL GRIZZLIES OVER BOOMERS

SAUGET, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies fended off a comeback effort from the Schaumburg Boomers at Grizzlies Ballpark on Saturday night to defeat them 6-4. 

After the win, the Grizzlies (28-21) now sit firmly in third place in the West division, 4.5 games out of first. Things started off in Gateway's favor in the first few innings, scoring twice in the second inning before DH Peter Zimmerman's big two-run homer doubled the lead in the third. The Boomers (27-23) fought back in the fifth, cutting the lead in half with a two-run home run. 1B Jack-Thomas Wold created some much-needed distance on the scoreboard in the sixth as he launched his eighth home run of the season to make it 6-2. Schaumburg attempted a rally in the later innings, scoring once in the eighth but leaving the tying run on base. The Boomers managed a home run to get within two in the ninth, but the comeback effort came up short. RHP Teague Conrad earned the win while LHP Leoni De La Cruz picked up the save. RHP Aaron Glickstein took the loss for Schaumburg.

The Grizzlies are now on the verge of a series sweep. They will look for it in the finale on Sunday, starting at 6:30 PM EDT.

OTTERS BLANK KNOCKOUTS

EVANSVILLE, IN - The Evansville Otters evened their series with the New England Knockouts with a 5-0 shutout victory at Bosse Field on Saturday night.

With their win and Windy City's loss, the Otters (20-30) have moved up one spot in the West standings. 1B Dakota Phillips put Evansville on the board in the fourth inning with a solo home run. The Knockouts struggled to get started, unable to get more than one base hit in any individual inning. The Otters pushed across another run on a groundout in the fifth. In the seventh, Evansville secured their lead with a three-run double from Phillips, giving him four RBIs for the game. RHP Ryan Wiltse earned the win in relief for the Otters, striking out two across three scoreless innings. LHP Anderson Comas took the loss for New England. 

The Otters and Knockouts will have to determine their series in a rubber game on Sunday. First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 6:05 PM EDT.

TITANS WIN SERIES IN JOLIET BEHIND LARSON'S EIGHT-INNING START

JOLIET, IL - The Ottawa Titans picked up their fourth straight series win after defeating the Joliet Slammers 7-2 on Saturday night. 

The Titans (30-18) have remained red-hot since the end of June and have won 10 of their last 11 games. Joliet broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single. The Titans responded quickly and emphatically in the second with a three-run blast from RF Brendan O'Donnell; the Ottawa right fielder's big fly was his second in as many plate appearances dating back to Friday night's win. The Titan's big inning didn't stop there, however, as 3B AJ Wright added on with an RBI single to push the lead to 4-1. The scoring ceased until the seventh when Joliet got within two with a solo home run. Ottawa put the game out of reach in the ninth with SS Aaron Casilla's bases-clearing three-run double. LHP Grant Larson was solid for the Titans, only allowing two runs across his eight-inning start to earn his fourth win of the season. RHP Dwayne Marshall took the loss for the Slammers.

The Titans will look for the series sweep on Sunday. First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 2:05 PM EDT.

BOULDERS TAKE GAME TWO SLUGFEST

PONOMA, NY - The New York Boulders picked up six extra-base hits in their 10-8 victory over the Florence Y'alls at Clover Stadium on Saturday. 

The Boulders (31-17) maintained their top spot in the East with another victory over the Y'alls (21-28). New York came out of the gates firing, building a 3-0 lead on three straight base hits in the first inning. 3B Chris Kwitzer, one of New York's eight All-Stars, brought in another run for the Boulders in the second to make it 4-0. Florence responded loudly in the third, scoring three runs to cut the New York lead to one. The Y'alls gifted the Boulders another run in the bottom of the third on an error, but then tied the game on a two-run homer in the fifth. The two teams went back and forth, but the Y'alls allowed two more runs to score on wild pitches and could not make up the difference, despite their offensive prowess. LHP Mitchell Senger got the win while RHP Dylan Smith earned his seventh save of the 2024 campaign. LHP Jonaiker Villalobos took the loss for Florence. 

The Boulders are on the verge of a series sweep and will look to complete it on Sunday. First pitch for their series finale against the Y'alls is set for 5:00 PM EDT.

VALLEYCATS OUTLAST MINERS TO CLAIM SERIES 

TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats took down the Sussex County Miners 5-4 on Saturday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

The ValleyCats (27-23) have run their winning streak up to eight games, with five of those coming against the Miners (17-32). Sussex County took the game's initial lead in the top of the second inning, but the ValleyCats took the lead with a three-run bottom half of the inning. The Miners got within one in the fourth, once again off the home run ball, but RF Demias Jimerson responded in kind with a two-run bomb in the fifth to make it 5-2. The Miners mustered two runs in the final two innings to cut their deficit to one but grounded into a double play in the ninth to have their comeback effort stymied. RHP Zeke Wood earned the win out of the Tri-City bullpen and RHP Austin Dill got the save after pitching the final two innings. LHP Mike Reagan took the loss for the Miners. 

The ValleyCats and Miners will play their series finale on Sunday at 5:00 PM EDT, with Tri-City looking for the sweep. 

CRUSHERS FEND OFF JACKALS TO TAKE SERIES

PATERSON, NJ - The Lake Erie Crushers defeated the New Jersey Jackals 11-7 at Hinchcliffe Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Crushers (33-18) continue to pace the West division, while the Jackals have extended their losing streak to 10. LF Ron Washington Jr. gave Lake Erie its initial lead in the first inning with an RBI single to left. 3B Logan Thomason added on in the second with a two-run base hit to make it 3-0. The Jackals tied things up in the bottom of the second, but the Crushers erupted for four runs in the fourth, including a two-run homer from 1B Vincent Byrd Jr., to take a 7-3 lead. The Jackals would attempt to keep themselves in the game, but the Crusher bats could not be stopped from scoring in every inning between the fourth and seventh. New Jersey was able to load the bases in the ninth and bring the tying run to the plate, but RHP Trevor Kuncl came up clutch and shut things down to earn his 13th save of the year. RHP Pedro Echemendia earned his first win for Lake Erie while LHP Edgar Rodriguez took the loss.

The Crushers will look for the series sweep in the finale on Sunday. First pitch is set for 4:35 PM EDT.

CAPITALES WIN SERIES IN EXTRA INNINGS

TROIS-RIVIÈRES - The Québec Capitales took don't the Trois-Rivières Aigles 5-4 in 10 innings on Saturday.

The Capitales (32-18) came back from a three-run deficit to win their series against the Aigles (28-21) in extra innings. The Aigles took their first lead of the series with three runs in the bottom of the third. 2B Jesmuel Valentin got the Québec on the board with an RBI base hit in the fifth, and LF Justin Gideon tied things up with a two-run triple in the seventh. Valentin gave the Capitales the lead in the ninth with another RBI base hit, but Trois-Rivières was able to tie the game at 4-4 and send it into extras. The Aigles gave the Capitales the lead on a wild pitch strikeout. RHP Ryo Kohigashi walked the bases loaded in the 10th but struck out two to secure the save for Québec. RHP Frank Moscatiello earned the win in relief for the Capitales while RHP Mitchell Miliano took the loss for the Aigles.

The Capitales and Aigles will face off in the series finale on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM EDT.