Eight-run third inning powers Wild Things to victory
Washington’s Lee Orr watches his home run soar over the fence in the third inning of Tuesday’s game against Southern Illinois.
Washington’s Sam Mende heads for home after Scott Kalamar doubled.
Washington’s Ernesto Zaragoza delivers a pitch in the second inning against Southern Illinois.
The Wild Things’ game Tuesday night against the Southern Illinois Miners was played with the lights behind the third-base grandstand not working at full capacity, the result of damage from last weekend’s lightning and storms. Only seven of those lights were illuminated but the umpires and the managers of each team agreed there was enough light to play the game.
The biggest power surge at Consol Energy Park came from the Wild Things’ bats.
Washington hit three home runs – two by first baseman Lee Orr – and had an eight-run third inning to defeat Southern Illinois, 13-4, in the opener of a six-game homestand.
The Wild Things entered the game last in the Frontier League with a .227 team batting average and next-to-last in the 14-team circuit in runs.
“We’re a lot better than those numbers,” said Orr, who was 2-for-4 with five RBI.
“We have a lot of new guys and it takes time to get adjusted. At first, everybody wants to be the man, but now we’re starting to figure out our roles in the lineup.”
After falling behind 3-0, Washington broke the game open in the bottom of the third by scoring eight times against Southern Illinois starter Jarrett Miller (0-1), who made 10 starts this year in the Baltimore Orioles’ system and was making his Miners debut. Miller walked two batters in the big inning and hit two more.
The inning started, as it seems all big innings do, with a walk. Miller issued a free pass to Jeudy Valdez and then hit John Fidanza with a pitch. One out later, Carter Bell singled to drive in the Wild Things’ first run. C.J. Beatty followed with a walk to load the bases and Sam Mende was plunked with a pitch to force in a run and pull Washington to within 3-2.
That brought right fielder Scott Kalamar, who was re-signed earlier in the day, to the plate. Kalamar laced a three-run double to the angle in left centerfield to clear the bases and give Washington a 5-3 lead.
Kalamar, who started in right field, played the last two seasons with Washington. He batted .300 with nine home runs last year. Kalamar was signed last fall by the Arizona Diamondbacks and began this year with Class A Kane County in the Midwest League. He played in two games with the Cougars before being sent to extended spring training and recently released. He is a welcome addition to the middle of the Wild Things’ lineup.
“He also helps our defense and gives us a center fielder who plays right field, which is important in this park, which has deep gaps,” Washington manager Bob Bozzuto pointed out. “He’s a guy who can play everywhere.”
Kalamar scored when Orr hit his first home run, a two-run shot inside the left-field foul pole. Left fielder David Popkins made it back-to-back homers for the Wild Things with a shot to center field. It was Popkins’ team-leading eighth home run of the season and capped the big inning.
“In the first two innings, maybe we were a little too aggressive, but their pitcher was hitting his spots,” Orr said. “Then he lost some of his control in the third and it seemed like we put up eight runs in three swings.”
Orr hit another home run, this one a line-drive two-run shot off the top tier of advertising signs in left field, that capped a three-run sixth inning that pushed the Wild Things’ lead to 11-3.
Orr missed on a bid to become the first player in Washington history to hit three home runs in a game when he flied out to the warning track in right field in his final at-bat.
“Lee Orr’s game was great to see,” Bozzuto said. “It was good to see what he did with the pitch selection. Our key is we have to hit the gaps.”
For the second time in as many starts at home, Washington pitcher Ernesto Zaragoza benefitted from an offensive explosion. Zaragoza (3-1) went six innings, allowing five hits and three runs. The last time Zaragoza pitched at Consol Energy Park was June 6, when the Wild Things hit four home runs in an 11-0 rout of Traverse City.
“Consistency has been our issue,” Bozzuto said. “Last week at Joliet (three losses for Washington), we couldn’t get a hit. Tonight we had a great night. We got some big hits by being patient.”
The teams will play a 10:35 a.m. Kids Day game today. … Kalamar is 10-for-18 in his career against the Miners. … Southern Illinois was 13-0 when scoring the game’s first run. … Infielder Matt Ford (hamstring) missed his 17th consecutive game but has remained on the 24-player active roster. … Washington reliever Joe Iorio pitched two innings and struck out four. … Matt Bywater, who threw a no-hitter against Evansville in his last start, will pitch today for Southern Illinois.