Pollock’s key hit saves Wild Things
Washington’s Reydel Medina (21) and Hector Roa high five after the Wild Things defeated the Joliet Slammers last season.
Holly Tonini
Wild Things’ Thomas Dorminy started the game against the Slammers
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Dom Iero is looking to help Washington’s offense come alive in Game 3 of the Frontier League championship series tonight in Joliet.
Wild Things Carter McEachern gets the first out of a double play against Slammers London Lindley to end the game against Slammers
Kyle Pollock is one of the oldest players on the Wild Things’ roster. He has spent three summers in Washington and played in more games than any catcher in franchise history.
Pollock, a former Kansas City Royals minor leaguer, could have stepped away from baseball and been content calling it a career after the 2017 season. Nobody would have blamed Pollock if he did as much.
There was, however, one thing that helped Pollock make the decision to return to the Wild Things.
He thought the team could win big this year. And the Wild Things are sure glad he returned.
Pollock hit a two-run single up the middle and off the glove of sliding Joliet second baseman Ridge Hoopi-Haslam that capped a three-run seventh inning as the Wild Things rallied for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of the Frontier League’s championship series Tuesday night.
Game 2 of the best-of-5 series is 7:05 tonight with Chase Cunningham (7-6, 4.45) pitching for Washington against Joliet’s Scot Hoffman (8-5, 3.51).
Pollock’s game-winner came with two outs and the bases loaded. It was better placed than hit. Pollock and Wild Things manager Gregg Langbehn each admitted they thought Hoopi-Haslam was going to make the play and end the inning with Joliet holding a one-run lead.
“I thought he had it and it squirted out,” Langebhn said. “Kyle hit it well enough. It was a do-or-die play.”
The ball was hit just to the right of second base and Hoopi-Haslam attempted to make a sliding catch going to his right and just behind the brown infield turf. He was able to get his glove, on the backhand, to the ball, but it kicked away, just far enough to allow Roman Collins and Reydel Medina to race around and score, giving Washington the 3-2 lead.
“Honestly, I thought he caught it,” Pollock said. “I was running as fast as a catcher could run, then I heard people cheering.”
For the first six innings, there wasn’t much for Wild Things fans to cheer about. The Slammers had eight hits in the first three innings against Washington starter Thomas Dorminy, the league’s Pitcher of the Year. But all Joliet had to show for the hits were two runs. First baseman Justin Garcia, who was with Washington in spring training last year, gave Joliet a 2-0 lead with a line-drive two-run homer off the videoboard in right field in the third inning.
Joliet managed to protect the lead with some stellar defense, including an amazing full-speed diving catch in the gap by right fielder Travis Bolin that ended the fifth inning and prevented two Washington runs.
“That catch, it was one of those things where you say, ‘Is this how the day is going to go even when you barrel up a ball?'” Pollock said.
Bolin’s catch came on a ball hit by Hector Roa with two runners on base.
Washington finally broke through in the seventh when third baseman Dom Iero, who played 29 games this season for Joliet before being released and eventually signing with the Wild Things, hit a leadoff homer off the light pole in right field. The home run came off Joliet starter Daren Osby, who exited after allowing a one-out single to Collins.
Reliever Keegan Long walked Medina and hit Carter McEachern with a two-out pitch to load the bases and bring Pollock to the plate.
“I don’t think everyone was deflated after (Bolin’s) catch but we got energized when Dom hit the home run,” Langbehn said. “You could see it in the dugout. We did a good job of grinding.”
Dorminy allowed 10 hits but was the winning pitcher, but he got strong as the game progressed. Reliever Jesus Balaguer struck out three in the eighth and Zac Strecker got the final three outs, the last two on a game-ending double play.
“Every game is going to be like this,” Langbehn warned. “It’s two good teams and guys are going to make plays.”
Extra bases
This is Washington’s third appearance in the league finals. The Wild Things are 3-0 in Game 1s. … Garcia was 3-for-4. … Collins was 3-for-5 for Washington, which left 12 runners on base. … Attendance was 1,518.