Jul 2, 2015 5 min read

Though his stay was brief, Scott Kalamar spent enough time, had enough at-bats and got to see enough quality pitching while in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ farm system this spring to know he wants another opportunity in affiliated baseball.

If Kalamar continues playing like he is during his second go-around with the Wild Things, then the right fielder will likely get that second chance in some team’s minor-league system.

Kalamar hit a three-run double, had four RBI and threw out a runner at first base Thursday night as Washington completed its first home series sweep of the season by defeating the Lake Erie Crushers, 5-2.

Kalamar’s bases-clearing double to the wall in left-centerfield came in the fifth inning and gave Washington a 4-0 lead. He also drove in the Wild Things’ first run when his groundout in the first inning allowed Danny Poma to score from third base.

Now in his third season with Washington, Kalamar has 15 RBI in 15 games. That’s similar production to last year when the former Seton Hall University standout had a breakout performance in the second half of the season and helped the Wild Things to the Frontier League playoffs.

The second-half surge also helped Kalamar get noticed by the Diamondbacks, who purchased his contract in the offseason.

“I did very well in spring training with Arizona and got a roster spot on a full-season team, at (Class A) Kane County. That was my goal,” Kalamar said.

The lefty hitter was there for only seven games, playing in two and going 1-for-8 at the plate. He was sent back to extended spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., after the Diamondbacks made an early season trade and acquired two minor-league outfielders in exchange for big-league pitcher Trevor Cahill. Arizona needed roster spots for the new outfielders, which bumped Kalamar, who was the fourth outfielder on the Diamondback’s lowest full-season team, back to work with the candidates for the short-season teams.

“I was in Scottsdale for two months, waking up at 5 a.m. every day to get ready to play,” Kalamar said. “I was playing well and expecting to be assigned to one of Arizona’s two short-season teams. I had at-bats against major league pitchers, like Matt Cain and Jake Peavy, who were on rehab assignments.”

Then the draft happened. Kalamar said he watched the first-year player draft unfold over three days on the Internet and he grew concerned about his future with each passing round.

“I had a bad feeling,” he admitted.

The Diamondbacks drafted 12 outfielders. Kalamar suddenly became expendable. He was released and signed with the Wild Things in mid-June.

“I can’t get upset about being released,” Kalamar said. “I know I can play at that level. I got a lot of exposure and got much better in the four months I was there.”

Kalamar made a terrific defensive play in the second inning against Lake Erie. Anderson Hidalgo led off with a bloop single down the right-field line and made a big turn around first base. Kalamar alertly threw behind Hidalgo to catcher Maxx Garrett, who was hustling behind the play and covering first base. Kalamar’s throw was strong and on target, allowing Garrett to tag Hidalgo for the inning’s first out.

“That’s a play that was set up last week,” Washington manager Bob Bozzuto said. “We had a similar hit against us and Maxx told Scotty that if that ever happens again, then look to first base.”

It was that kind of night for Lake Erie, which had 10 hits but scored only two runs and left 10 on base.

Washington starter Kyle Helisek (4-2) pitched into the eighth inning, allowing both runs and striking out eight. Richie Mirowski retired the final two batters of the eighth inning and Jonathan Kountis got the final three outs for his second save since rejoining the Wild Things last week.

“We played well, we pitched well, we did miss some opportunities early but good teams overcome those things,” Bozzuto said. “Kyle did a very good job.”

David Popkins hit his team-leading 11th home run, a solo shot to right field in the sixth that made it 5-0. It was Popkins’ third homer in six at-bats.

Lake Erie scored single runs in both the seventh and eighth innings. Juan Sanchez had an RBI triple in the seventh. He was thrown out at third but awarded the bag when Washington was called for defensive interference. Hidalgo drove in the Crushers’ second run with a double.

Washington has won five of the first six games against Lake Erie and won the season series for the first time since the Crushers joined the league in 2009. … Wild Things first baseman Sam Mende hit two triples. … C.J. Beatty, a switch-hitter, batted left-handed in the fifth inning against Lake Erie’s Kolby Moore, a lefty pitcher. … Washington begins a three-game series at home tonight against Joliet.