WASHINGTON, PA – Max White hit two home runs and the ThunderBolts erased a four run deficit to defeat the Washington Wild Things 9-6 at CONSOL Energy Park Friday night.
The Bolts (41-53) fell behind early as the Wild Things (40-54) scored in three of the first four innings to mount a 5-1 lead. David Popkins hit an RBI double in the first, Popkins and Peters drove in runs in the third and Andrew Heck, who finished with five hits, hit an RBI double in the fourth for Washington. The ThunderBolts only counter came on a White RBI single in the fourth inning.
Windy City started their comeback in the fifth inning when Alex Chittenden singled and scored on a Nico Zych double. White’s two-run homer in the fifth brought the Bolts back to within one run.
Maxx Garrett added some insurance for the Wild Things with a solo home run in the sixth, extending the lead to 6-4.
The final five runs were scored by Windy City as they made a run with two outs in the eighth. Austin Gallagher tripled in front of White’s second homer of the night, tying the score. After Ransom LaLonde was hit by a pitch, he came in to score on a Chittenden single to give the Bolts their first lead of the night. Gallagher put the game away with a two-run homer of his own in the ninth.
Pete Whittingslow (2-0) worked a perfect seventh inning for the win and the ThunderBolts bullpen combined to allow just one hit over three shutout frames. Tommy Nance worked the ninth for the save. Steve Messner (2-4) gave up three runs in the eighth to take the loss.
The ThunderBolts and Wild Things continue their season-ending three-game series on Saturday night at 6:05. Game two from CONSOL Energy Park will pit Windy City’s Dyllon Nuernberg (2-0, 0.00) against Washington’s Jeremy Holcomb (1-4, 5.40). The game broadcast can be heard through wcthunderbolts.com.
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