One bad inning costly for Wild Things
AUGUSTA, N.J. – Kaleo Johnson hit a three-run triple and Cito Culver followed with a two-run homer to cap Sussex County’s seven-run seventh inning as the Miners defeated the Wild Things 11-4 Tuesday night in a series opener at Skyland Stadium.
Sussex County is in first place in the Frontier League’s Northeast Division and the loss dropped Washington to seven games behind the Miners.
Sussex County took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Andrew Knapp, the No. 9 hitter in the Miners’ lineup. It was the first extra-base hit of the season for Knapp and came off Washington starter Daren Osby, who gave up two runs in six innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
Washington took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh, scoring a gift run when Trevor Casanova reached on an error and came around to score when Miners reliever Robert Klinchok threw three consecutive wild pitches that tied the score. The Wild Things took a 3-2 lead when Andrew Sohn’s single scored Brian Sharp.
The lead didn’t last long as the bottom of the seventh was a messy one for Washington. A hit batsman, two wild pitches and two walks (one intentional) by reliever Jesus Balaguer (1-1) loaded the bases. B.J. Sabol replaced Balaguer and walked in a run that gave Sussex County a 4-3 lead. An error on a ground ball allowed another run to score and Johnson hit his bases-clearing triple, which was followed by Culver’s third home run of the season.
Washington scored a run in the eighth on an RBI single by Hector Roa, but Sussex County tacked on two more in the bottom of the inning. The Wild Things outhit the Miners 10-9.
Sussex County starter Billy Layne Jr. struck out a career-high 10 in six innings. Tyler Luneke (2-0) faced only one batter and was the winner.
Bralin Jackson was 3-for-4 for Washington, which is 1-3 on its nine-game road trip.