Aug 2, 2015 5 min read

This time, there would be no late-game heroics, no breath-taking rally and no walk-off win for the Wild Things.

A five-run second inning, fueled by two Wild Things errors, provided enough cushion for the Florence Freedom to come away with an 8-5 victory Sunday afternoon in front of 1,638 fans at Consol Energy Park.

It was the first time in two seasons (six games) Florence won at Consol Energy Park. It also snapped a three-game winning streak by the Wild Things.

This game was not unlike the previous two games in this series, where Washington strung three consecutive hits to win 4-3 Friday night and Maxx Garrett hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 12th for a 3-2 victory.

The difference was Washington couldn’t muster the type of key hits that produced those victories. But, hey, that’s hard to do three times in a row at any level.

“I’m proud of the way our guys played,” said Washington manager Bob Bozzuto. “We won the series. They were scrapping out there.”

Starter Luke Wilkins gutted out six innings but gave up 10 hits and eight runs, six earned. Wilkins was coming off just three days rest, one fewer than usual, because of the Wild Things’ doubleheader with River City Wednesday and injuries to other starters.

Wilkins didn’t fare well the last time on short rest, giving up six runs on seven hits in three innings during an 8-3 loss to Traverse City.

Florence had even deeper pitching problems, using 10 relievers over the last two games. It was so dire starter Chuck Weaver worked the ninth inning for his first save.

“That’s the first time I did that,” said Florence manager Ben Pelfry. “Our bullpen was used up. I’m glad we have an off day (Monday).”

The five-run second inning was a mixture of good hitting by Florence and poor fielding by Washington.

First baseman Sam Eberle opened the inning with his first of three hits, a double down the right-field line. DH Kyle Carter pushed him to third base with a groundout and catcher Ozzy Gonzalez brought him home with a single to left field.

Travis Weaver sent a grounder to shortstop, where Austin Wobrock made a poor glove-flip to second trying to get Gonzalez for an error. Third baseman Steve Carillo walked before second baseman Daniel Fraga drove in Gonzalez and Weaver with a single to Daniel Poma in centerfield. An errant throw into the infield by Poma allowed the runners to move up. Zac Mitchell drove in two more with a single to right, making it 5-0.

“They made the plays that inning,” said Bozzuto. “They had some nice at bats, got some bloopers. That’s baseball.”

Florence has a 21-3 record when leading by five or more runs. Florence made it 6-0 with a run in the top of the third but Garrett got that run back for Washington when he hit his second home run in as many days and third of the season, a solo shot with one out in the third.

“It was a 1-2 fastball he was trying to sneak in on me,” said Garrett, who was on base three times. “I’ve been putting a lot of work in. I’ve worked with David Popkins. He’s been telling me to just let it happen. I’m going to stick to that approach.”

Florence starter Cody Gray was pulled after three innings because of fatigue and Washington third baseman Carter Bell launched a three-run blast to left off reliever Austin Delmotte in the fourth to make it 6-4.

But Gonzalez hit his first professional home run, a two-run shot in the top of the sixth that gave Florence a four-run advantage.

“I’ve come close a couple times,” said Gonzalez. “It was great to get that hit. It was a cutter in and I was looking for it.”

Washington put another rally together in the seventh, when they got four runners on base but scored just once off reliever Zach Wendorf.

Left fielder Andrew Heck opened with a walk and Wobrock singled and went to second on an error. Garrett drove in one run with a single to center to make it 8-5. One out later second baseman Matt Ford hit a bouncer to third, where Wobrock broke for home on contact and was easily thrown out.

“If we get the run, we still have two guys on base,” Bozzuto said. “Who knows what happens then?”

Wendorf struck out Sam Mende to end the threat.

Notes: The Wild Things made four moves before the game. Three of them were injury-related. They shifted pitcher Tyler Ferguson (arm) to the 60-day disabled list, pitcher Matt Sergey (shoulder) to the 14-day DL and placed OF Cody Herald (leg) on the 7-day DL. … Washington signed Jon Costa, who last pitched in 2014 in the United League.