Washington Wild Things catcher Ricardo Sanchez chose to come to Southwestern Pennsylvania because liked what the team had to offer. Following two seasons with the Trois-Rivieres Aigles, Sanchez believed he had a purpose with the Wild Things.
During Washington’s 10-0 win over the Lake Erie Crushers on Saturday night in Game 2 of the Frontier League Division Series, Sanchez delivered on offense. He drove in three runs, which gave him five for the playoffs, as Washington delivered a sweep in the best-of-three series.
Before the playoffs started, Sanchez had only driven in nine runs and was hitting .214. Sanchez hadn’t driven in a run since an Aug. 7 game against the Florence Y’alls.
“We are playing for something,” Sanchez said. “That’s why I am here today for a reason. I feel like I haven’t been there offensively this season, but I’ve been there defensively.”
The Wild Things, playing in front of a sellout crowd of 3,300, reached the Frontier League Championship Series for the first time since 2021 and the fifth time since they moved to Washington in 2002. The Wild Things will play the Quebec City Capitales or Ottawa Titans, who will play Game 3 of their series on Sunday.
Washington manager Tom Vaeth said the Wild Things pitching staff trusts Sanchez behind the plate.
Vaeth, a former catcher himself, is picky about who plays the position.
“What sealed the deal for me was he said I’ve seen these hitters and I understand how to pitch them,” Vaeth said. “That’s what he’s my guy right now.”
Washington needed a steady presence behind home plate. Wild Things starting pitcher Jack Kirby labored through four innings of work. But Kirby escaped unscathed despite allowing five walks and allowing Lake Erie to load the bases twice.
Kirby worked out of jams in the second and fourth innings.
“Kirby didn’t have his best stuff tonight,” Vaeth said. “He had trouble repeating the delivery. As I told him after I took him out of the game, I walked over and showed him the scorecard with four zeros on it. That was the most important thing.”
Relief pitcher Dariel Fregio threw two scoreless innings in relief off Kirby to earn the win.
Fregio struck out three batters. Washington finished with nine strikeouts.
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“They trust everything I call,” Sanchez said. “The pitchers have to make the pitches. I’m grateful to have those guys on the mound.”-
The Wild Things, who set a club record with 67 regular season wins, broke through against Lake Erie starting pitcher Jack Eisenbarger in the third inning. Washington third baseman Ricardo Sanchez opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a walk by Caleb McNeely.
Tommy Caufield came up to the plate and rocketed a line drive off Lake Erie pitcher Jack Eisenbarger and into left field.
Sanchez scored on the single, while McNeely scored on a throwing error. Washington surged ahead 3-0 when Wagner Lagrange drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Lake Erie manager Jared Lemieux was proud of how his team played.
“We’ve faced a lot of adversity this year,” Lemieux said. “To be in this position, it takes a lot. This was a great year and there was a lot of magic in this group to get us to this point.”
Eisenbarger was pulled after the third inning. He allowed five earned runs on six hits and walked five batters.
The Wild Things doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Ethan Wilder drove in a run with a double, Caufield brought Wilder home with a sacrifice fly, and Sanchez had an RBI single.
Washington added another run in the fifth inning and three more in the eighth.
Vaeth said he believes Washington can bring home a title no matter which team it faces in the championship series. With how the Wild Things are playing, they aren’t worried about the ghosts of championship series past.
“I can’t comment on the other three,” Vaeth said. “I’ve only been involved in one. I just want to finish the job.”
Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.