Aug 23, 2018 4 min read

The Wild Things’ game Thursday night against Schaumburg was one you have to keep in perspective.

Sure, Washington lost 6-2 to the Boomers, but it came in the series finale. The Wild Things won the first two games of the set, including a remarkable comeback in the middle game, and have won eight consecutive series.

That’s what has sparked the Wild Things’ charge to the top of the Frontier League’s East Division standings. Even with the loss to Schaumburg, Washington managed to retain its one-game lead over second-place Joliet. The Slammers were shut out, 3-0, at Lake Erie.

“We won the series and that’s our goal moving forward,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said. “Schaumburg is a good team and has played us tough.”

Schaumburg is one of 10 teams still vying for four playoff berths with only 10 days remaining in the regular season. Schaumburg entered Thursday in fourth place in the East. All the Boomers can do is keep on pushing on.

And it will help Schaumburg if it can get a few more pitching outings like the one the Boomers received from Kit Fowler against the Wild Things. Fowler entered the game with an unimposing 1-7 record and 5.36 ERA.

All Fowler did was limit Washington to two runs over seven innings for his second victory of the season. He looked more like the guy who defeated Washington in Wild Things Park almost a year ago to the day during the Boomers’ run to the league championship than he did a pitcher with an ERA north of 5.00.

“He had some forearm stiffness in the middle of the year, and when he came back it took him time to get the feel back,” explained Schaumburg manager Jamie Bennett. “I think he was trying to fool too many guys with too many curveballs. This time, he did a great job of attacking with the fastball.”

Washington had opportunities and actually outhit Schaumburg, 8-7. Right fielder Hector Roa tied a team record by hitting two triples. The Wild Things, however, could get them on and get them over but couldn’t get them in. They went only 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and only one of the hits produced a run.

Schaumburg never trailed. Kenny Towns hit a pitch from Washington starter Michael Austin (2-3) low off the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer in the second inning. Washington made it 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Roa hit his first triple and scored on a groundout by Carter McEachern.

Austin, however, had a bout of wildness in the fifth as a hit batsman and two walks led to a three-run inning and a 5-1 Schaumburg lead.

After Washington’s Ramsey Romano singled and scored on a fielder’s choice, Schaumburg’s Nick Oddo homered in the sixth to make it a 6-2 score.

Unlike Wednesday night, when Washington scored five times in the eighth inning to rally for an 8-7 win, Schaumburg’s bullpen was able to protect this lead. James Mulry and Jake Joyce combined for two shutout innings.

“You’re in the playoff race until somebody tells you can’t make it,” Bennett said. “We need to continue winning. I’ve never seen the league like this with so many teams in contention in the final week of the season. There’s a lot of parity in the league. We hope we get hot at the right time.”

Extra bases

Washington begins its final home series of the regular season tonight against Lake Erie. The Wild Things end the year with six straight on the road, at Schaumburg and Lake Erie.