Washington, PA (June 4, 2019) – The Southern Illinois Miners lost to the Washington Wild Things 11-2 in the opener of their series at Wild Things Park in Washington, Pennsylvania.
The home team scored their first run on a solo home run by J.J. Fernandez against Miners starter Cody Thompson to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning, then added single runs in the third and fourth for a 3-0 margin. Thompson (0-1), making his first professional start, was able to minimize damage each time, stranding seven Wild Things runners on the bases through the first four innings, but the Miners’ offense could not manage any hits in that span against Washington starter John Havird (2-1). Gianfranco Wawoe blasted a two-out, solo home run in the top of the sixth to make it a 3-1 game and break up the shutout bid, but that was all Havird allowed in seven innings of work.
Thompson departed after walking two batters in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Hector Roa brought them in with a three-run home run on the first pitch from Heath Renz for a 6-1 Washington lead. The Wild Things would pull away by scoring five more times against Kelvin Rodriguez in the bottom of the eighth inning, while the Miners loaded the bases and got an RBI infield single from Arturo Nieto in the top of the ninth to make it 11-2, but got no closer.
Alex Santana had a pair of hits for the Miners in his return from the injured list, but Southern Illinois was out-hit 13-6 in the defeat, dropping to 11-10 overall and 4-8 on the road. They will try and even the series in the middle game against the Wild Things on Wednesday, June 5, at 6:05 p.m., sending Marty Anderson to the mound against Washington lefty Nick Wegmann.
