Freedom rally past Things
There were some pre-Fourth of July fireworks flashing in the dark sky beyond both the left and right field parking lots during the late innings Saturday night at Consol Energy Park.
None of those pyrotechnics blew up quite like the Wild Things’ bullpen did against the Florence Freedom.
Florence took advantage of wildness by Washington relief pitchers to score single runs in both the eighth and ninth innings and rally for a 3-2 victory over Washington.
The Freedom, who trailed 2-1 entering the eighth, tied the score against the Washington bullpen. Reliever Andrew Woeck hit former Wild Things third baseman Taylor Oldham with a two-out pitch and the bases empty. It proved costly. Austin Newell followed with a single that put runners on first and third. Closer Zac Grotz (0-2) relieved Woeck and gave up a game-tying single to Andrew Godbold on a 3-2 pitch.
In the ninth, Grotz walked three of the first five batters of the inning, then Oldham was hit again, this time with a 1-1 pitch, to force home Isaac Wenrich with the go-ahead run.
The Wild Things could have made life much easier for themselves had they cashed in on golden opportunities to score in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Washington had runners on second and third with one out in the seventh but Florence reliever Tony Vocca wiggled out of the jam with a strikeout and fly out.
In the eighth, the Wild Things had an even better setup with the bases loaded and no outs but again came away empty.
Florence reliever Tanner Kiest filled the bases with walks to Nick Ferdinand and Kyle Pollock around Logan Uxa’s solid single to center field. Washington, however, failed to score after Florence turned to closer Ethan Gibbons (2-2) to replace Kiest. Gibbons got Austin Wobrock to bounce to third base and Ferdinand was forced out at home plate. Jamal Austin and Ricky Rodriguez, the Nos. 1 and 2 hitters in the Wild Things’ lineup, each were called out on strikes to leave the bases loaded and the score tied 2-2.
Jimmy Yezzo gave Washington a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when he hit a solo home run off Florence starter Cody Gray over the video board in right field. It was Yezzo’s sixth home run of the season and second in five games.
Yezzo also drove in the Wild Things’ second run, in the fifth inning, with a bases-loaded two-out single. It gave Washington a 2-1 lead. Bryan Haar tried to score on the single through the left side of the infield but was thrown out at home plate by Florence left fielder Godbold.
Washington starting pitcher Sam Agnew-Wieland scattered seven hits over six innings but gave up only one run. He issued just one walk and struck out three.
Pollock, Washington’s catcher, threw out three Florence basestealers including two at second base in the fifth inning. … The Wild Things left 13 runners on base and were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Austin, Yezzo and Uxa each had two hits.