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BOULDERS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER WITH WILD THINGS: DROP FIRST, WALK-OFF IN THE SECOND

By New York Boulders Baseball, 07/23/21, 11:00PM EDT

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The New York Boulders split the doubleheader with the Washington Wild Things tonight, July 23. The Boulders dropped game one with a 6-3 loss but found a way to split the night thanks to a walk-off home run in game two by Ray Hernandez to end the night at Palisades Credit Union Park in the win column with a 2-1 victory.

 

Jack Sundberg led off game one with a single to shortstop and was sent home shortly after on a two-run home run by Zach Kirtley to give New York an early 2-0 lead.

 

Washington clawed back at the top of the first with a solo home run by Joe Campagna making it 2-1 still in favor of New York. Things picked up in the fifth inning as Washington shortly regained the lead.

 

Hector Roa led off with a double to center field, followed by a single by Trevor Casanova for the Wild Things. Roa was sent home by a sacrifice fly from Campagna. Boulder's starting pitcher Andy Hammond was replaced by James Mulry following this run.

 

Andrew Czech’s double to left field later sent home Casanova, giving Washington a 3-2 lead. This was the last of Hammond’s batters who finished the night pitching just over four innings allowing three earned runs off of four hits, striking out one, and walking one.

 

The Boulders evened things up during the bottom of the sixth. After a putout by Phil Capra, Phil Caulfield and Jack Sundberg were walked. Milton Smith Jr. then struck out but the inning was saved when Zach Kirtley singled to create a bases-loaded scenario. Washington relief pitcher B.J. Sabol walked Kevonte Mitchell which sent home Caulfield to even the score at 3-3 heading into the sixth where Washington answered right back.

 

Hector Roa blasted a two-run home run at the top of the sixth to give the Wild Things a 5-3 lead. An error by Phil Capra at the top of the seventh allowed one more run to score, solidifying a game one, 6-3, Washington victory.

 

Alex Boshers picked up the win for Washington, Zach Strecker earned the save, and James Mulry tagged the loss for New York in game one.

 

Washington picked up right where they left off in game two. After an error by Caulfield, getting Nick Ward on base, Scotty Dubrule grounded out to send Ward home for the first run of the game.

 

The Boulders found a way to save a run from scoring at the top of the fourth after Roa was caught stealing home. Unfortunately, the Boulders were unable to put up any runs in the bottom of the inning. There were just two hits, both from Washington, through the first four innings.

 

The Boulders found a way to capitalize late in the sixth inning. Caulfield led off with a double and later scored off an errant pick-off throw to tie the game at 1-1.

 

Caulfield’s hit ended Wild Things’ starting pitcher Ben Vicini’s night, finishing the game pitching five innings, allowing just one earned run off of one hit. He struck out three and walked one.

Strecker tagged the loss for the Wild Things in game two.

 

Boulder’s starting pitcher, Danny Wirchansky, played strong, finishing the night allowing one run off of four hits. He tallied six strikeouts and walked four while pitching just over six innings. Tanner Kiest picked up the win for New York coming in at the bottom of the sixth.

 

The Boulders iced the game in the bottom of the seventh, taking game two of the doubleheader after a solo home run from Ray Hernandez giving New York a 2-1 win. This was Hernandez’s fifteenth home run of the season giving him sole possession of the Frontier League’s home run leaderboard.

 

The Boulders are right back home tomorrow night against the Wild Things at 6:30 pm for the second night of a three-night series