Wild Things prove point against Rockford
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Umpire Jon Saphire yells to the Wild Things’ Sam Mende to go back to the dugout after a called third strike in the bottom of the fifth inning of Wednesday night’s doubleheader against Rockford.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Washington pitcher Luke Wilkins throws to first base to get out Rockford’s Dusty Robinson in the sixth inning of Wednesday night’s game.
C.J. Beatty reacts after the umpire called a strike during the first game of a Wednesday doubleheader against Rockford.
Washington’s David Popkins sildes safely into second base during the first game of a Wednesday double header against Rockford.
The Rockford Aviators rolled into Consol Energy Park sporting the Frontier League’s best batting average, best earned run average and, to the surprise of nobody, the best record.
The Wild Things, meanwhile, were a determined lot. They were determined to prove to the home fans that they’re a better team than they showed in a season-opening homestand that resulted in a 1-5 record. They also were determined to continue their strong play that led to six wins on the recently concluded nine-game road trip and prove they also should be considered among the best teams in the league.
During a doubleheader Wednesday night, the Wild Things and Aviators were about as even as you can get as they traded one-runs wins.
Washington got off to a good start by defeating Rockford 2-1 in eight innings in the opener, getting a game-winning, two-out RBI single from second baseman Austin Wobrock.
Rockford salvaged a split by scoring two runs in the sixth inning for a 5-4 come-from-behind win in the nightcap, snapping Washington’s six-game winning streak. The loss prevented the Wild Things (8-9) from getting above the .500 mark for the first time all season.
”It could have been better,” Wobrock said. “We gave one up at the end, but we battled. (Rockford) is a good team. We’ve got to take one more and win the series. Overall, it was not a bad day.”
But it could have been better. Rockford overcame a 4-3 deficit with two runs in the sixth inning of the nightcap off Washington reliever Richie Mirowski (0-1). They were the first runs allowed by the Washington right-hander in eight outings.
Washington manager Bob Bozzuto thought the Wild Thinsh should have been out of the messy inning unscathed. After Ryan Breen led off the sixth with a single, Greg Velazquez hit a lien drive to shortstop Jeudy Valdez, who threw to first base in an attempt to double off Breen, who was scrambling back to the bag. Breen was called safe on a bang-bang play.
Jaron Shepherd followed with a line-drive single up the middle and off the glove of Valdez. Breen and Shepherd then pulle doff a double steal, and the former scored the tying run when the throw to third base went into left field. After a strikeout, Shepherd scored the go-ahead run on Michael Hur’s single.
”We did let one get away,” Bozzuto said. “In the sixth inning we thought we had a double play. We should have been out of the inning. As luck would have it, the next ball goes up the middle off a glove. It’s a game of inches. The bottom line is we had chances early and needed to score more than we did.”
Washington led 2-0 in the first on a home run by Lee Orr, fell behind 3-2, tied the score at 3-3 when Maxx Garrett, who was 3-for-3, drove in Orr with a single and took a 4-3 lead in the fourth on David Popkins’ team-leading sixth home run.
The Wild Things won the opener when Wobrock, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, lofted a two-out, bases-loaded single over third baseman Velazquez to drive in Sam Mende from third base.
”I was ecxited to get that hit because my father, who hasn’t seen me play in a year, was here,” said said Wobrock, a Costa Mesa, Calif., native. “He flew from California and got here just about the time I got that hit.”
Wobrock struggled on the opening homestand, going hitless in 18 at-bats. However, the former University of Hawaii player, was Washington’s best hitter on the road trip, batting .500 (11-for-22) in eight games.
The Wild Things scored the game’s first run in the opening inning against Rockford starter Kyle Brueggemann, who entered the night with a 3-0 record and 1.86 ERA. Popkins drew a walk, stole second base and scored on a two-out single by Orr.
The lead didn’t last long as Rockford tied the score with a run in the top of the second off Washington starter Luke Wilkins. The Aviators loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to start the inning and pushed across a run when Velazquez grounded into a double play.
The score remained 1-1 until the eighth. Both teams had excellent chances to take the lead but Wilkins and Brueggeman each worked out of jams to keep the score tied.
Rockford had runners on first and third with one out in the sixth, but Wilkins got a key strikeout of Ryan Breen for the inning’s second out. Velazquez then flied out to end the threat.
”The strikeout with runners on first and third, that was the key at-bat of the game,” said Wilkins, a native of Sydney, Australia, and the first Australian to play for the Wild Things.
”I knew that if they scored there, then it would be hard for us to win the game. I had to come up with a strikeout or get a double play. I knew, when we got out of that inning, that we’d win the game.”
The Wild Things stranded 11 baserunners including two in three of the first five innings.
Washington started the bottom of the eighth with Mende dropping into right field. With Rockford right fielder playing deep in a no-doubles alignment, the ball took a high bounce off the turf, allowing Mende to slide into second base with a double, beating Robinson’s throw. After Orr drew a walk off Rockford reliever Colby Holmes (0-2), Ryan Mathews, who was signed earlier in the day, bunted the runners to second and third.
Valdez was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, and Rockford sidearming relief pitcher Eric Cendejas struck out rookie catcher John Fidanza for the second out. Wobrock ended the game by lifting a single over Velazquez and just out of the reach of shortstop Brian Bistagne.
Tim Giel (1-0) was the winning pitcher with two hitless innings of relief. The former Shady Side Academy standout struck out two.
”We had something to prove,” said Wilkins, who threw six innings of one-run ball. “We wanted to show we’re just as good as Rockford and that our record doesn’t reflect how good our team is. They had the best record in the league, but we’re a really hot team right now.”
The Wild Things made a flurry of roster moves since completing a three-game sweep Sunday at Gateway. Washington placed pitcher Kyle Helisek (2-1, 0.96) on the 14-day disabled list and designated hitter Edinson Rincon (.186) on the 7-day DL, released outfielder Craig Massoni, and relief pitcher Tyler Wilson (0-1, 5.40) retired. Helisek, who threw eight shutout innings last Thursday at River City, pulled a hamstring running prior to a game at Gateway. The Wild Things signed Mathews, a first baseman/outfielder, and activated pitcher Kyle Vazquez (0-0, 11.57) from the DL. Vazquez started the second game of the doubleheader and struck out seven in four innings. Mathews began the season in the Oakland Athletics’ system with Class AA Midland. The Orlando, Fla., native played his college baseball at North Carolina State. … Tonight’s series finale is American Heart Association Night. The first 1,000 fans receive a Kent Tekulve bobblehead and there will be a jersey auction. Tekulve will be at the game and signing autographs. … Andrew Davis, who played the last six years with the Lake Erie Crushers, has replaced Brett Metheny on the coaching staff. Andrew Heck moved from first-base coach to third base, replacing Metheny.