Aug 2, 2018 4 min read

The top of the first inning in the Wild Things’ game Thursday night against Normal was hard on both the eyes and the gloves.

After winning five consecutive and climbing back to within one game of the Frontier League’s East Division lead, Washington saw its momentum disappear in one ugly inning.

What kind of start was it for the Wild Things? Try this:

• Starting pitcher Trevor Bradley lasted only one-third of an inning, although only two balls hit off him left the infield.

• Bradley hit two consecutive batters with pitches. Each with the bases loaded.

• One-third of the Washington’s starting lineup committed an error before the game was three outs old.

• Normal sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs. None of the runs were earned

It was a brutal way to start a game, and it didn’t get significantly better for Washington as the game progressed. Andrew Godbold went 4-for-4, Connor Root pitched seven strong innings and Normal cruised to an 8-1 victory to avoid a series sweep by the Wild Things.

“We had a few guys who weren’t ready to play in the first inning,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said. “The pitching wasn’t competitive. We weren’t ready to play and gifted them six runs. Plus, we didn’t hit.”

Normal began the night one game out of first place in the West. The top four teams in the division were separated by one game.

“We needed that one,” said Normal manager Billy Horn. “It has been a long road trip and the bounces didn’t go our way Tuesday night. We came out swinging in this one and they helped us out.”

Washington committed four errors in the messy first inning – one was added following the game in a scoring change – and the only hits by the CornBelters were a leadoff single by James Davison Jr. and a run-scoring single by Cam Adams that gave Normal a 5-0 lead.

That was the final batter Bradley (4-3) faced.

The CornBelters made it 6-0 when Justin Fletcher scored from third base on a throwing error.

“It was a disappointing start. It’s hard to overcome that,” Langbehn said. “You have to be ready to play.”

Washington scored its only run in the bottom of the first as James Harris singled, stole second base and scored on two groundouts, the second by Reydel Medina.

Root (2-1), who is playing in his fourth independent league in his career, retired 14 in a row after Harris’ single. He allowed three hits in seven innings and never let Washington think it could rally and win.

“If there is one lineup in the league that we don’t feel comfortable against with a six-run lead, then it’s (Washington),” Horn said. “We had a game plan and Root threw strikes and kept them off balance.”

Relievers James Meeker and Aaron Burns combined for 5 2/3 shutout innings before Normal scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Goldbold had an RBI single in the seventh for the third of his four hits.

“We had a five-game winning streak (and) have the second-best record in the league. It was just one of those nights,” Langbehn said.

Extra bases

Washington begins a three-game series tonight at home against the River City Rascals, which begin play last night in first place in the West. … The Wild Things were held to four hits by Root and relievers Eric Smith and Miles Moeller. Harris had two of the four hits. … Washington pitcher Jake Eaton, who has been sidelined all season because of an injury, has thrown three bullpen sessions in Washington and could soon be activated.