The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, had their three-game win streak snapped in a 4-3 loss to Washington.
A couple of costly errors and missed opportunities with men in scoring position cost the Freedom (15-27).
With the score tied at three in the bottom of the eighth, Jimmy Yezzo attempted a bunt, but it leaked just a couple of feet in front of the plate. Garrett Vail pounced on the ball, but his throw was high and allowed Yezzo to go all the way to third. Davis Adkins got two quick outs, but then Kyle Pollock, who entered the game hitting just .160, became the unlikely hero, looping a single to left field and knocking in the go-ahead run.
In the ninth, Isaac Wenrich led off the inning with a pinch-hit walk, advanced to second on a ground out from Josh Henderson, and took third on a wild pitch. After Andrew Godbold drew another pinch-hit walk, Washington brought on a left-hander. The Freedom played the matchup and sent Collins Cuthrell to the plate, but he grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
After a 19-minute pregame rain delay, Florence got on the board first for the 10th consecutive game. Taylor Oldham lined a single through the left side and scored on a two-out double from Richard Seigel.
After Washington bounced back with two in the bottom half of the inning, the Freedom answered to tie the score. Vail led off the second with a double before moving to third on a ground out. Travis Weaver lifted a fly ball to medium center, scoring Vail to knot the score at one.
Washington took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on a David Popkins home run before Florence again tied the score with an Andre Mercurio triple and a Daniel Fraga RBI groundout in the fifth.
Patrick McGrath went six innings, but allowed two consecutive hits to lead off the seventh. McGrath’s line included nine hits, three runs, and three strikeouts. Adkins came on in relief and, despite inheriting the go-ahead run at third, kept the Wild Things at bay. He struck out Ricky Rodriguez and then forced two shallow pop outs to end the seventh.
Adkins almost repeated the feat in the eighth, but Pollock delivered the key hit.
Doubles from Vail, Seigel, and Fraga, along with a triple from Mercurio led the Freedom offensively. Their only other hit was the first-inning single from Oldham. Seigel, Weaver, and Fraga all had RBIs, while Oldham, Vail, and Mercurio scored the runs. Florence left four men in scoring position, including three at third base.
Washington’s Luke Wilkins posted his best start of the season, going eight innings and allowing just five hits and three runs, while striking out six. Kolin Stanley and Devin Davis combined to finish off the ninth with Davis earning his second save. Popkins added a home run offensively, but Pollock was the hero with the eighth-inning RBI single to break the deadlock.
The Freedom will go for the split tomorrow with Cody Gray (1-1, 11.00 ERA) on the hill against Sam Agnew-Weiland (2-0, 4.35 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. in Washington.
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The Florence Freedom are members of the 12-team professional Independent Frontier League and play a 96 game schedule, with 48 home games at UC Health Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence.
Florence Freedom