The Evansville Otters defeated the Washington Wild Things in the series rubber match Thursday behind two home runs from Rob Calabrese and a home run by Dakota Phillips, winning by a score of 9-5.
The Otters utilized their power offense and situational hitting in the middle three innings Thursday to provide enough insurance to secure a series win.
The Evansville Otters’ success started on the mound in the first inning as starter Randy Wynne recorded consecutive strikeouts to begin the game.
Then the Otters jumped into the run column with a solo home run from Calabrese over the left-centerfield fence to give Evansville a 1-0 lead.
Washington responded in the top of the third with a two-run home run from Wander Franco, pushing the Wild Things ahead 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, Dakota Phillips tied the game on the second pitch of his at-bat, a solo shot over the Bud Light Lime Patio in right-centerfield to tie the game at two.
In the fifth, the Otters sent eight men to the plate, putting a crooked number on the scoreboard with five runs.
Evansville placed four straight batters on base, including three straight singles from David Cronin, Keith Grieshaber, and Ryan Long.
Long hit a two-run single to give the Otters a 4-2 lead, scoring J.J. Gould and Cronin.
Dakota Phillips knocked in his second RBI of the game, scoring Grieshaber, making the score 5-2.
Calabrese hit an opposite field two-run home run, his second of the night, to score Long and extend the Otters advantage to 7-2.
Nick Wegmann, Washington’s starter, would exit the game after the second Calabrese blast. He would take the loss, going 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.
The Wild Things would try to come back, scoring two runs off a Saige Jenco solo home run and an RBI single from J.J. Fernandez, cutting the Otters lead to three in the top of the sixth.
In the bottom half of the inning, Cronin scored Anthony Maselli on an RBI single, and would cross home plate on a single from Long. The Otters would extend their lead to five on Long’s third RBI of the game.
Ryan Cox scored on an RBI single from Jenco in the top of the seventh with two outs, making the score 9-5, but relievers Abraham Almonte and Taylor Wright shut out the Wild Things the rest of the way.
Randy Wynne earned his third win of the season, going 6.2 innings, fanning six, walking two, surrendering five runs – four earned – on seven hits.
The Otters will start a nine-game road trip, beginning Friday with a three-game series in Florence, Ky. against the Florence Freedom.
