Wild Things fall into tie for 1st place
SAUGET, Ill. — Trevor Achenbach put Gateway in the lead with a three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Grizzlies held on for an 8-7 victory over the Wild Things on Tuesday night at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Washington’s loss, combined with Evansville’s 5-1 win at Schaumburg, leaves the Wild Things and Otters tied for first place in the Frontier League’s West Division with 33-19 records. Washington has lost four of its last five games.
The Wild Things forged a 6-4 lead by scoring three runs in the fifth inning. Wagner Lagrange had an RBI double that tied the score and Andrew Czech’s two-run single put Washington in the lead.
Gateway strung together five consecutive hits in the sixth, including Achenbach’s 17th home run of the season that gave the Grizzlies a 7-6 lead. Two batters later, Clint Freeman hit a run-scoring double to make it a two-run Gateway advantage.
The Grizzlies’ big inning came against reliever Kenny Pierson (2-2). He replaced Washington starter Sandro Cabrera, who walked six and gave up four runs in four innings.
Winning pitcher Nick Kennedy (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings of relief and former Wild Things reliever John Murphy pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
Washington pulled to within 8-7 in the eighth when catcher Niko Pacheco, who was signed and activated earlier in the day, hit a solo home run.