Poma, Wild Things walk off with win
Wild Things shortstop Austin Wobrock collides with first baseman Sam Mende while trying to tag out Lake Erie’s Austin Prott during the first inning of Tuesday night’s game.
The Wild Things’ Matt Ford throws to first after getting out Lake Erie’s Anderson Hidalgo during the top of the second inning Tuesday.
On a night when baseball’s all-time hits leader was at Consol Energy Park, the Wild Things’ Danny Poma delivered one of the most memorable hits of his baseball career.
Poma, Washington’s center fielder and leadoff hitter, belted a hanging slider from Lake Erie relief pitcher Mike Devine over the left-field wall with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a three-run walk-off homer, giving the Wild Things a 5-2 victory on Pete Rose Night.
“It doesn’t get any better than that. That’s the first time I’ve hit a walk-off homer since junior college. It’s been a long time,” said Poma, who also experienced a couple of firsts after the game.
Poma was on the receiving end of two ice bucket dumps courtesy of teammate Sam Mende.
“That’s the first time that’s happened,” Poma said, just seconds before having a shaving cream pie shoved in his face. That was another first.
The home run was the third of the season for Poma. This one came off a former teammate as Devine was in spring training with Washington this year but was one of the final cuts of the preseason. He signed with Lake Erie a few days later.
“That helped because I knew he was a sidearmer and wasn’t going to throw me a fastball down the middle,” Poma explained. “I took a pitch and then hit a hanging slider.”
But would it be enough to carry out of the park on a crisp, damp night?
“As soon as he hit it, I knew it was gone,” Washington manager Bob Bozzuto said.
Poma wasn’t as sure.
“I knew it was high enough and that I had hit it out in front. The ball wasn’t carrying tonight but I saw the left fielder go back and turn his back to the infield so I thought it was going to be gone.”
Poma’s game-winning hit capped an entertaining game that included Rose coaching first base in the bottom of the first inning, third base in the second inning and the eventual game-winning run being scored by Andrew Heck, who usually is the Wild Things’ third-base coach but manned the coaching box for only one of Washington’s five runs.
Confused?
Here’s how it happened:
Washington took a 1-0 lead when second baseman Matt Ford turned on a pitch from Lake Erie starter Hunter Adkins and drove it over the right-field wall for a home run in the second inning. That was the inning with Rose coaching third base. Rose turned toward the crowd in the third-base box seats and pointed skyward when Ford’s hit carried out of the ballpark. Ford had something to remember when he rounded third base and was given a high-five by Rose.
The home run was the third in as many games for Ford, who was college teammate of Poma’s for two years at Hofstra University.
With the scored tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Washington left fielder David Popkins drew a one-out walk – his third free pass of the game – off the Crushers’ Trevor Longfellow (2-2) and was bunted to second base by Austin Wobrock. Bozzuto then inserted Heck as a pinch-runner for Popkins. Heck, who played 98 games for Washington over the last three seasons, was signed earlier in the day to fill an open roster spot, making him a player-coach.
Lake Erie catcher made a pickoff throw to second base but the ball hit Heck and kicked toward right field, allowing the Wild Things to push the potential game-winning run to third base. Catcher John Fidanza then walked and Lake Erie manager Chris Mongiardo brought in Devine – the Crushers’ sixth pitcher of the game – to face Poma.
“The thing about playing Lake Erie is, you get to see their whole bullpen, but you don’t see each pitcher for very long,” Bozzuto said. “You have to seize the moment.”
Washington forged a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Designated hitter C.J. Beatty hit a ground ball inside the first-base bag and it rolled into the right-field corner. Beatty sped around the bases and made it to third base with a stand-up two-out triple. Scott Kalamar followed with a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield.
Lake Erie scored an unearned run in the sixth off Washington starter Luke Wilkins, who was terrific in seven innings, allowing only four hits. The Wild Things were late covering second base on a stolen base attempt and ball went into the outfield, allowing Ty Nelson to advance to third base. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Anderson Hidalgo.
The Crushers made it 2-2 in the eighth, using a walk and stolen base by Frank Desico and a bloop single by Nelson off Washington reliever Richie Mirowski to tie the score.
“That was the kind of game we’ve been in all year, a one- or two-run difference,” Bozzuto said. “It was a great day.”
The start of the game was delayed 1 hour and 3 minutes because of rain. … Attendance was 1,775. … Matt Purnell (1-0) pitched the ninth inning to get the win. … First baseman Lee Orr (back) was placed on the 14-day disabled list Monday.