Wild Things win, move closer to first place
Nick Ward led off the eighth inning with a home run and the Washington Wild Things added two more runs to down Lake Erie, 5-4, in a Frontier League game Tuesday.
The win, coupled with Sussex County’s 6-4 loss to the New York Builders, leaves the Wild Things just 2 1/2 games out of first place in the Northeast Division.
Ward’s blast, his fourth of the season, snapped a pitcher’s duel that had the game scoreless through seven innings. Before the eighth inning was through, a Lake Erie error would help produce another run.
Andrew Sohn got on via an error and was driven in by Bralin Jackson. Jackson scored on a single by Hector Roa.
Washington scored two more in the top of the ninth to make it 5-0. Ward smacked a double to drive in one run and Sohn singled in the other run.
Washington needed every run as Lake Erie scored four times in the bottom of the ninth, three times before an out was made.
The big hit was a two-run double by Connor Oliver.
Steve Colon pitched five scoreless innings for Washington and Paul Hall Jr., went six scoreless innings, did not allow a run and struck out seven for Lake Erie.