Wild Things suffered losses due to sudden death

Say this about the Frontier League’s extra-innings tiebreaker system. It can certainly add excitement to a game that has seriously lacked excitement for eight innings.

After Washington left fielder Wagner LaGrange hit a solo home run to tie the game early in the ninth inning on Thursday night, the Wild Things’ game against Gateway went into the decisive tenth inning, and ultimately it was the sudden-death inning in the 11th inning that decided the outcome of the game and gave the Grizzlies a 2-1 victory.

After a scoreless 10th inning, Gateway began the sudden-death inning with Cole Brannen at first base. Washington went to the bullpen and called up right-hander Justin Goossen-Brown, who had dominated his career against Gateway. Goossen-Brown threw two scoreless innings on Wednesday night and had allowed just three hits and one unearned run in 11 1/3 innings against Gateway in his career.

A sacrifice bunt by Abdiel Diaz began the 11th and put Brannen in scoring position. Tate Wargo, who got the Grizzlies’ only hit against Goossen-Brown on Wednesday, went the opposite way with a pitch and hit it on the ground at the first-base line, where Washington rookie Derek Gellos was making a rare start in place of Andrew Czech. Gellos attempted a dive, but the ball bounced off the end of his glove and rolled down the line as Brannen raced around to score and give Gateway the win.

During the late innings, a bright full moon dominated the sky over left field, which seemed fitting since it was a night of roundness, especially on the scoreboard.

The game remained scoreless until the seventh inning, when Gateway scored a run that seemed more than enough for the Grizzlies pitchers, who were working on their fourth shutout in five games at Wild Things Park.

However, Lagrange hit the third pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning from Gateway relief pitcher Nate Garkow (3-0) over the wall along the left field line to tie the score and breathe some life into the crowd of 1,640, setting up the tiebreaker innings.

In the 10th inning, Washington closer Gyeongju Kim left Gateway’s tiebreaker runner standing on third base. Washington only needed to score its tiebreaker runner to win the game. Robert Chayka started at second base and was moved to third base by JC Santini. Garkow, however, got out of trouble. He struck out Gellos, and after Evan Berkey walked a 3-2 pitch, Alex Ovalles threw a popout to third base to end the inning.

Washington then had the choice of batting with a runner on first base or pitching with the same scenario. A scoreless inning means a win for the team that fields. The Wild Things, like most teams in the Frontier League, chose to pitch.

The loss spoiled a fine performance for Washington starter Jordan DiValerio, who had to accept a shutout until the seventh inning, when Gateway scored the first run of the game.

Kyle Gaedele, who came into the game with a batting average of just .160, managed a walk after DiValerio struck out, which proved costly for the home team. Mark Vierling, who had just come off the injured list earlier in the day, followed with a single.

DiValerio fouled Peter Zimmerman to first base for the second out of the inning. At that moment, Washington manager Tom Vaeth went to the mound and called his bullpen.

Nick McDonald came on and his third pitch was hit up the middle by DJ Stewart and turned into an RBI single, scoring Gaedele and making it 1-0.

DiValerio allowed five hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings. He walked once and struck out three times.

Veinbergs pitched four innings, allowing two hits and three walks. Washington had baserunners against him, but Grizzlies catcher Jose Alvarez eliminated many of them. Alvarez threw out three would-be base stealers in the first three innings.

Joel Condreay, Matt Hickey and Gaige Vailles followed Veinbergs to the mound and threw four scoreless innings in relief before Garkow came on.

Additional bases

Washington begins a nine-game road trip tonight at Schaumburg, where the Wild Things played last weekend. The trip also includes stops at Gateway and Lake Erie. Washington won’t be home again until July 2, when it hosts Florence. … Washington had just 13 hits in the series, the only extra-base hits being an eighth-inning double by Alex Ovalles and Lagrange’s home run. … Wild Things centerfielder Caleb McNeely missed his second straight game and shortstop Carson Clowers sat out his fourth straight game. … The overall series between Washington and Gateway is tied 65-65.