“Wild Things” takes down Crushers in the series finale

AVON, OHIO – Washington lost its first road series of the season to Lake Erie, but five pitchers combined for a one-hit shutout Sunday to save a three-game series with a 1-0 victory.

The Wild Things (28-16) suffered a 9-1 loss on Saturday to the Crushers (28-17), who won the series after Lake Erie won the first game on Friday.

Washington had fallen to second place in the Frontier League’s West Division after Saturday’s loss, but regained the top spot after Sunday’s triumph.

Aaron Forrest went 1-2-3 with two strikeouts in the first inning, but left the game before the second due to injury.

Ryan Munoz relieved Forrest and pitched three innings to earn the win. He allowed a single by Burle Dixon early in the third inning but stayed calm, drawing a flyout to left field, a strikeout and a catcher’s foul to end the inning.

Caleby McNeely made a spectacular catch in the second inning to gain additional bases.

Munoz had three strikeouts and no walks and improved to 2-0.

The Wild Things scored with two outs in the fourth inning when McNeely hit a double to left center and then scored on Ethan Wilder’s base hit through the left side on the next pitch after McNeely reached second base.

McNeely had three hits and Wilder had two.

Christian James led the way with scoreless frames and three strikeouts but was given a walk. Alex Carrillo had a perfect eighth inning that ended with a strikeout, and Gyeongjum Kim recorded his tenth save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.

Washington returns to Wild Things Park on Tuesday against Florence to begin a nine-game home series, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.