Wild Things sweep Joliet in doubleheader
Washington’s Justin Bohn is doused with water as he returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning in the opening game of the doubleheader against Joliet at Wild Things Park Wednesday.
Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter Wild Things’ shortstop Justin Bohn gets high fives from teammates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning, putting Washington up 7 to 1 over Joliet in the opening game of the double header on August 30.
Trevor Foss strolled to the mound Wednesday night at Wild Things Park knowing it could be his final game in Washington.
After allowing only one run and three hits over six strong innings, and earning his Frontier League-leading 12th win, Foss is hoping for one more start at home.
That would mean the Wild Things have made the four-team playoff field.
After Foss pitched the Wild Things to a 6-1 victory in the opener of a doubleheader against the Joliet Slammers, Washington got a strong outing by Ethan Gibbons in the nightcap and scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete the sweep with a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
The sweep has the Wild Things in the final wild-card playoff spot, a half-game ahead of Windy City, which won at Lake Erie, 7-2, one night after blowing an 11-0 lead and losing to the Crushers.
Washington has five games remaining – the home finale tonight against Joliet and four games in Traverse City this weekend. If Washington goes into Sunday – the final day of the season – needing a win to keep its playoff hopes alive, Foss said he will be on call to make a start on only three days rest.
“This has been so much fun,” Foss said. “We’re a group of guys who have a lot of energy, but now we can see the light and there could be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. These next few days are going to be a lot of fun.”
Foss (12-5) joined the Wild Things last year and had a stellar season, posting an 8-3 record and winning the league’s ERA title (2.50) before having his contract purchased for the final month of the minor league season by the Cleveland Indians. Foss returned to Washington this spring as the one veteran – a player who exceeds the Frontier League’s 27-year-old age limit – it is permitted to have on the roster. The league had to amend some rules for a veteran player in order for Foss to qualify.
“This league, I love it,” Foss said. “The coaches in this league, some of them played a big role in me being able to come back. I can’t say enough about them.”
Word circulating around the Frontier League is that the veteran player category will be eliminated for 2018, which means Foss would not be eligible to play again for Washington. He is the third pitcher with 20 career wins for the Wild Things.
“These two years have been some of the most fun I’ve had playing this game,” Foss said. “From top to bottom, the front office staff, the fans, the community have been unreal. That’s why I made every effort to come back.”
The Washington hitters didn’t need a comeback in the opener as they forged a 5-0 lead before Joliet scored its lone run of the game, a solo homer by second baseman Melvin Rodriguez in the sixth inning. Washington responded in the bottom of the sixth with infielder Justin Bohn’s two-run homer, his second of the season, down the left-field line.
Center fielder Rashad Brown went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI to lead Washington in the opener. Joliet helped the Wild Things by committing three errors – two by starting pitcher Scot Hoffman (1-2) – in a two-run third inning.
In the fourth, catcher Kyle Pollock hit a triple to right centerfield – his second triple in 967 professional at-bats – and scored on a sac fly by Mike Hill to make it 3-0.
“The best part of that triple was Pollock got to second base, slowed down and looked at the ball in right centerfield. Then he turned and looked at third base and you could tell he was thinking, ‘Man, that’s a long way to third base.’ That’s a play that gave us a lot of energy.”
Brown and Bralin Jackson had run-scoring singles that made it 5-0 in the fifth.
Foss walked two and struck out two. He got 10 outs on ground balls over the first five innings.
Washington trailed 1-0 entering the seventh in the nightcap but won the game when Justin Bohn scored from third base on a ground ball by Bralin Jackson.
John Fidanza started the inning by getting hit by a pitch from Joliet reliever Jordan Wellander (1-3). Bohn walked and James Harris blooped an RBI single down the right-field line on a 3-2 pitch to tie the score. Rashad Brown was then intentionally walked to load the bases. Against a five-man infield, Jackson hit a grounder that third baseman Danny Zardon made a diving backhanded stop of but was unable to throw home in time to get Bohn.
Gibbons (8-6) threw a five-hitter. He struck out nine and issued only one walk.
Prior to the doubleheader, Washington activated pitcher Brian O’Keefe from the disabled list and placed pitcher Cameron Stanton on the 14-day DL. … Washington and Traverse City will play a doubleheader Saturday.