The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a one-run lead over the Traverse City Beach Bums, but lost, 6-5, on a walk-off wild pitch Wednesday night at Wuerfel Park.
With the score 5-4 in favor of Florence (32-15) entering the bottom of the ninth, Matt Kaster (0-2) issued a one-out walk to John Montgomery, putting the tying run on base. Joe Mello pinch-ran for Montgomery, and after Arby Fields lined out to second baseman Daniel Fraga for the second out, Kaster allowed a single to Josh Hauser and walked Nick Murphy to load the bases. Laetten Galbraith then took over for Kaster, and with a 3-2 count, threw a wild pitch that forced home Mello as the tying run. Hauser, breaking early from second base on the pitch, scored the winning run as catcher Garrett Vail could not retrieve the ball in time.
The loss ended a streak of four straight losses for the Beach Bums (19-27), and forces just the second rubber game of the season for the Freedom.
Florence had led 4-0 through five and a half innings, as Collins Cuthrell hit a two-run double off Traverse City starter John Havird in the first inning, and a single and double by Keivan Berges and Austin Wobrock, respectively, plated one run each in the top of the sixth.
But Traverse City cut the Freedom lead to one run in the bottom half, as Cody Gray yielded a two-run homer to Steven Patterson and a solo home run to Alexis Rivera.
A RBI-infield single by Wobrock extended Florence’s advantage to two runs in the top of the eighth, but an eventful home half of the inning saw the Beach Bums inch closer. With one out and Patrick McGrath on the mound in relief, Patterson reached base on a misplayed ground ball at third base by Jose Brizuela. Will Kengor followed by tripling to the wall in left-center, scoring Patterson after a strong relay throw made for a close play at home plate. With Rivera at the plate next, Vail made a snap throw to third base, nabbing Kengor as Brizuela made a fast tag. Beach Bums manager Dan Rohn argued the call and was ejected by base umpire Scott Walendowski.
Enrique Oquendo (1-0) got the win in relief for Traverse City after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth inning.
Fraga recorded his third consecutive multi-hit game for the Freedom, while Brizuela, Cuthrell, Vail and Wobrock also collected two hits each in the contest.
The Freedom will play for the series victory in Thursday’s rubber game. Tony Vocca (5-2) will start on the mound for Florence, while the Beach Bums will counter with right-hander Kramer Champlin (4-3). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Wuerfel Park.
The Florence Freedom are members of the independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at FlorenceFreedom.com, or by phone at 859-594-4487.
Florence Freedom