Wild Things go extra to beat Quebec
The Wild Things had plenty of chances at the plate in the late innings Sunday to beat the Quebec Capitales and sweep a three-game series matching division leaders.
Washington never did get that clutch hit it needed.
So the Wild Things opted to try for a win by playing defense in the Frontier League’s gimmicky sudden-death inning.
It was a good choice.
Washington closer Lukas Young tossed a scoreless half-inning – the top of the 11th – and the Wild Things defeated Quebec 5-4.
In the Frontier League, any game that reaches the 11th inning becomes sudden death. The home team chooses to play offense or defense. The team on offense begins the inning with a runner on first base and no outs. If the team on offense scores, then it wins the game. If it fails to score, the team on defense wins.
All three games in the series were close, intense and entertaining and won by Washington as the Wild Things extended their winning streak to four games. The finale even had a playoff feel.
“We didn’t have to give any big speeches before this series. Those guys knew who was coming in,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said.
“This was a big stretch of games we just completed. Going back to the last series before the all-star break, at Evansville, then six games in Canada and this series against Quebec, I was hoping to go 6-6. We went 9-3. That is outstanding. All the credit goes to the men in that clubhouse.”
The Wild Things took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning when left fielder Jared Mang hit a two-run homer off Quebec starter Codie Paviva. The Capitales, however, answered with a solo homer by T.J. White, his 21st of the season, in the sixth off Washington starter Daren Osby and then grabbed a 4-3 lead by pushing across two in the seventh, one scoring on a passed ball.
The Wild Things made it 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh when Hector Roa scored on a wild pitch. Washington left the bases loaded in the seventh, eighth and again in the 10th, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. In the eighth, the Wild Things center fielder Cole Brannen tried to steal home but the pitch was fouled off. In the 10th, Roa started the tiebreaker inning at second base and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw. Brannen then put down a safety squeeze bunt but it was fielded by Quebec pitcher Nick Horvath, who tossed to catcher Reece Yeargain to retire Roa.
Washington hitters struck out 10 times in the final four innings.
“There are reasons Quebec is in first place,” Vaeth said. “We obviously have to execute better in some situations. Those are things we can work on to prepare for the playoffs.”
When they chose to play defense in the 11th, the Wild Things kept Young (5-2) in the game, though he had already pitched two scoreless innings. It was gutsy effort by Washington’s closer as he threw 44 pitches.
In the 11th, a sacrifice bunt, intentional walk and wild pitch gave the Capitales runners on second and third with two outs. Young ended the game by getting Tristan Pompey to pop out to shortstop Nick Ward.
“Lukas came off the field after the top of the 10th and made it quite clear that he was going back out if we went to the 11th,” Vaeth said. “He wanted to go back out. It makes a manager’s decisions easier when guys are that passionate about the game. Sometimes you have to trust your guys.”
Extra bases
Washington released right-handed starting pitcher Thomas Hart, who had been on the 14-day disabled list. Hart had a 1-1 record and 6.75 ERA in five starts. … Washington increased its lead to 5 ½ games over Evansville in the West Division.