Washington Holds On to Win Series Opener at Traverse City After Quick Start

WASHINGTON, Pa. (July 27) – Washington scored seven runs in the first four innings of tonight's series opener and held on to take the game 7-6 over the Traverse City Beach Bums at Wuerfel Park Friday.

The Wild Things didn't wait long to strike first. Right fielder Hector Roa opened the scoring with a two-run double with one out in the first inning. Washington added to its 2-0 lead, after a short rain delay, in the fourth with a five-run frame. Two home runs brought home the runs for Washington in the fourth, as center fielder James Harris connected with a three-run blast to left field for his 12th home run of the season before third baseman Mike Hill, in his return to the lineup after missing three games with an injury, belted a two-run blast, his 13th of the year, to extend the lead to 7-0.

Washington's starter, Trevor Bradley, tossed five scoreless and faced just three over the minimum with seven strikeouts through the first five innings of the game. Bradley then ran into a bit of trouble in the sixth, as Traverse City's Connor Oliver doubled home two runs to make it 7-2. The Beach Bums plated a run in both the seventh and eighth innings, before Zach Strecker took the mound to try and close things out in the ninth.

Strecker did so, but not without drama. Traverse City managed to make it 7-6 before the final out was recorded on a bases-loaded fielder's choice.

Washington is now 34-30 while Traverse City falls to 31-32. The Wild Things were led by Harris, who was 3-for-5, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Roa added two more hits on top of the two RBI double, while shortstop Brett Marr had a three-hit night.

Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Levi MaVorhis will take the mound for the Wild Things making his Washington debut, opposing Traverse City's Matt Murphy.

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