Aug 11, 2016 4 min read

There are plenty of four-letter words – some of them are not fit to be printed in a family newspaper – that can be heard at a ballpark.

For a manager who is a former pitcher, such as the Wild Things’ Gregg Langbehn, there is one four-letter word that is particularly offensive.

Walk.

Walks have a way of killing pitchers, killing winning streaks and killing a team’s playoff chances.

The Wild Things’ three-game winning streak, and chance at a series sweep, came unraveled Thursday night at steamy Consol Energy Park and walks had plenty to do with the outcome in a 7-3 loss to the Lake Erie Crushers.

Washington pitcher Matt Fraudin (5-6), who had issued only three walks over his last three starts, had a rare out-of-control outing. Fraudin muddled through 5 2/3 messy innings, pitching behind in the count frequently, hitting one batter, throwing two wild pitches and issuing five walks. Four of those walks eventually came around to score as Lake Erie forged a 5-0 lead.

“Matt didn’t have it,” Langbehn said. “He didn’t command the strike zone for the first time in a long time. He’s afforded a start like that, I guess.

“The pace of the game was horrendous, and I’m talking about both teams. They looked lethargic. I hate games like that. Get on the mound and throw strikes.”

Fraudin left the game with Washington trailing 3-0 in the sixth. Lake Erie leadoff hitter Rob Paller, who reached base four times, greeted reliever Ashton Perritt with a two-run double that bounced off the wall in right field and made the score 5-0.

Fraudin walked Paller to lead off the third and the Crushers’ left fielder scored the game’s first run on an RBI-groundout by Jose Barraza. Paller drew a one-out walk in the fifth and scored when Conner Oliver tripled to right centerfield. It was the first of two triples by Oliver and one of three hit by the Crushers.

Another one-out walk, to Nick Covello in the sixth, was followed by a another triple to the gap in right centerfield, this one by Max Casper.

Paller’s double off Pettit scored Casper and Parker Norris, who received the final free pass issued by Fraudin.

Washington pulled to within 5-2 in the sixth as Ricky Rodriguez scored on wild pitch by Crushers starter Jose Caballero (1-1) and a run-scoring book-rule double by rookie third baseman Alvaro Gonzalez. The double bounced over the fence in left centerfield, which cost Washington a run as Kyle Pollock would have scored easily from first base had the ball remained in the field of play.

Caballero gave up six hits, three walks and two runs in six innings.

“We didn’t deserve to win,” Langbehn said. “We give up five walks and four of them score, we give an unearned run and don’t back up a play properly. We also don’t hit against a pitcher who was throwing 80 to 85 mph fastballs.”

Washington’s Grant Fink hit his eighth home run, a solo shot leading off the ninth.

Washington was only 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The Wild Things won three of the four games in the series but also lost a game in the standings Thursday to East Division leader Joliet, which won 6-4 at Schaumburg. The Slammers lead the Wild Things by six games with 22 remaining.

“We’re still in it,” Fink said. “We still have a chance to do something special. It’s going to be a fun finish. Hopefully, we can play beyond the regular season.”

Washington opens a six-game road trip tonight at Windy City.

“Tonight was a big game but so is (Friday),” Fink said. “We just have to focus on one inning, one game. You have to keep the focus there. When you start looking beyond that, then that’s when you get into trouble.”

First baseman Logan Uxa was placed on the retired list. According to Langbehn, Uxa has taken an internship with the Colorado Rockies’ marketing department. Uxa was batting .257 with six home runs in 43 games. … The Wild Things lost another first baseman when Jimmy Yezzo left the game in the eighth inning after turning an ankle while scrambling back to first base when Pollock lined out to shortstop. … Washington signed pitcher Christian Powell, who was the 8th round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2012 out of the College of Charleston. Powell is from Greenwood, Ind.