Jun 4, 2015 6 min read

The Wild Things finally got their first look at the Frontier League’s new international tiebreaker.

If they didn’t loathe the rule before Thursday night, surely they do today.

Devon Rodriguez hit a run-scoring double on an 0-2 pitch in the top of the 13th, and Rockford held Washington scoreless with the help of a caught stealing in the bottom of the inning, as the Aviators defeated the Wild Things 4-3 at Consol Energy Park.

The Frontier League – along with other independent leagues – is using the tiebreaker rule this year. When a game reaches the top of the 11th, each half-inning begins with a runner on second base and no outs. The tiebreaker is designed to make it easier for teams to score, thus preventing games from turning into marathons that deplete bullpens.

That didn’t happen this time.

Both the Wild Things and Aviators used six pitchers, one night after playing a doubleheader that included an extra-inning game.

“It’s terrible,” Bozzuto said of the tiebreaker rule. “It’s foolish. It didn’t save time. It’s absolutely foolish. It’s not baseball. I’d be saying that even if we won this game. We could have played forever.

“Play the game the way it is supposed to be played. If people want to go home, let them go home. That’s just part of baseball. … I’d rather see a time limit (curfew) and come back and finish the game the next day than change the rules. I don’t like it and nobody likes it.”

Each team was held scoreless in the 11th inning and pushed across one run in the 12th. In the 11th, Rockford had a runner on third base with one out but Washington reliever Richie Mirowski ended the inning with two strikeouts. The Wild Things tied the score at 3-3 in the 12th when Jeudy Valdez’s one-out single pushed home Maxx Garrett from third base.

In the top of the 13th, with runners on first and third following a sacrifice bunt and walk, Rodriguez doubled into the right-field corner off Washington reliever Steve Messner (0-1), scoring Brian Bistagne, who began the inning as the designated runner at second base.

“You can’t give up a hit in extra innings on an 0-2 pitch,” Bozzuto said. “I know Steve would like to have that one back. He hangs a curveball and the kid pulls it.”

The Aviators appeared to score an insurance run when the Wild Things attempted to turn an inning-ending double play but the relay throw from second base Austin Wobrock seemed to pull first baseman Lee Orr off the bag. Base umpire Ron Whiting, who originally called Rockford’s Greg Velazquez safe at first base, asked for help from home-plate umpire Michael Shields after Bozzuto argued the call. Following a discussion between the umpires it was ruled that Orr held the base and the inning ended with a double play and 4-3 Rockford lead.

That led to Rockford manager James Frisbee being ejected by Whiting, but the Wild Things couldn’t seize the momentum.

C.J. Beatty bunted David Popkins to third base to start the bottom of the 13th and Sam Mende followed with a walk from Aviators reliever David Wayne Russo (2-0). Mende, however, was thrown out trying to steal second base for the second out.

“We attempted to be more aggressive in that situation because we were down to only one relief pitcher,” Bozzuto explained.

Russo ended the game by striking out Orr.

Rockford took a 1-0 lead in the second inning against Washington starter Tim Flight, who struggled with control in the early innings before finishing strong. Anthony Renteria hit a one-out double, advanced on Jaron Shepherd’s single and scored when Michael Hur hit the first of the Aviators’ two sacrifice flies.

Washington did all its pre-tiebreaker scoring in the second inning, taking advantage of an error to score two unearned runs against Rockford starter Tony Rizzotti, who entered the game with a 3-0 record and 0.00 ERA. With two outs and runner on first base, Velazquez, the Aviators’ third baseman, made a throw to second base that pulled Tanner Witt off the bag on what would have been an inning-ending forceout.

The error loaded the bases and Popkins followed with a two-run single left centerfield, driving home Carter Bell and Valdez. Bell was making his season debut.

Rockford made it 2-2 in the third inning with Ryan Breen’s sac fly scoring Witt.

Both offenses then went into shutdown mode until the tiebreaker rule kicked in. Rizzotti retired the last 14 batters he faced, leaving the game after seven innings and only 77 pitches. He gave up five hits, did not walk a batter, struck out five and kept his 0.00 ERA intact.

Flight, meanwhile, also went seven innings and retired 14 of the last 15 Aviators he faced. Flight also gave up five hits. He struck out six in what turned into a quality start.

“That as a great baseball game,” Bozzuto said. “There were a lot of decisions and lot of things going on. You have to produce and take advantage of those situations and we didn’t do that.”

Notes

Washington center fielder and leadoff hitter Danny Poma broke his nose in two places when he hit by a pitch from Rockford’s Colby Holmes during the first game of the doubleheader Wednesday night. The pitch never hit Poma’s body. Instead it struck the bill of Poma’s batting helmet, which spun and struck his nose. Poma remained in the game but did not play in the second game of the doubleheader or Thursday night. Both Poma and Bozzuto said the injury should not require a stint on the disabled list. … The Wild Things activated Bell from the suspended list and released pitcher Kyle Vazquez (0-0, 8.53). Bell, a former Oregon State player and Arizona Diamondbacks minor leaguer, was Washington’s third baseman last year, batting .289 and stealing 30 bases. He had only six errors in 88 games. Vazquez started the second game of the doubleheader Wednesday and struck out seven in four innings but did not get a decision. … Washington begins a three-game home series tonight against Traverse City.