Wild Things’ offense stalls at Gateway
SAUGET, Ill. — Andrew Penner hit a two-run homer and Carson LaRue pitched seven strong innings as the Gateway Grizzlies defeated the Wild Things 4-2 Thursday night.
Gateway won two of the three games in the series. Washington has lost five of its last seven.
LaRue (2-2) allowed only four hits over seven innings. Two of those hits came in the first inning.
Washington’s Nick Ward hit the first pitch from LaRue for a home run. Jared Mang followed with a walk and moved to third on a single by Scotty Dubrule. Wagner Lagrange then hit into a double play but Mang scored to give the Wild Things a 2-0 lead. The Wild Things would not score again as LaRue struck out eight over seven innings.
Former Wild Things reliever John Murphy pitched the top of the ninth inning for his sixth save.
Gateway made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first when an RBI double by Zach Racusin. Penner hit his home run in the third off Washington starter Hayden Pearce (4-3) to give the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead. Trevor Achenbach added a solo homer in the fourth to close the scoring.
Pearce gave up three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five over seven innings.
Wild Things manager Tom Vaeth was ejected in the bottom of the eighth inning after arguing an umpire’s call of a hit batsman.
Washington begins a weekend series tonight at Evansville, matching the top two teams in the Frontier League’s West Division.