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A Walk-Off in Washington: Senators Stun Sugar Kings with Two Late Comebacks

Nothing has gone right for the Havana Sugar Kings all season, so there’s no reason tonight should have been any different. Despite taking a 3-0 lead into the 7th inning, the Kings lost 5-3 in extra innings to the Senators tonight in Washington.

Both starters - Chris Klink for the Sugar Kings and Ken Magda for the Senators - went the distance allowing just three runs. Neither exactly cruised out of the gate, though the first four innings were scoreless: Klink gave up a triple to Ron Fazzio in the first, while Havana’s Phil Holdredge doubled in the second and advanced to third on a grounder later in the inning, but neither scored. Both pitchers worked around a couple hits and walks in the third as well.

The top of the fourth went so fast you might have missed it if you blinked: three pitches, two for groundball outs and the third a lazy fly to center, sent Washington down. A couple of batters reached on a walk and an error by Klink in the fourth, but again no damage taken.

Havana broke through in their half of the fifth, with what turned out to be the sum total of their scoring. With one out, Alejandro Batiz singled, as did Ali Bateman behind him. That put runners on first and second for Dave Corbett, a light-hitting backup catcher who came into the game hitting .216 with only two homers in 45 games on the season. But Magda missed, hanging a curve that Corbett turned on. The ball soared nearly 400 ft before settling into the left center stands at Griffith Stadium.

The rest of the fifth, and the sixth, passed quietly, with just a single baserunner (a base hit by Havana’s Robby Reyes). Havana tried to manufacture something in the top of the seventh as Corbett walked and was replaced by Lorenzo Solis on a fielder’s choice; Solis ended the inning getting caught stealing second after a perfect throw by Washington C Wayne Ripley.

That brought Washington to the plate, down by three in the late innings. With one out, Kevin Zecca doubled off Klink, and Havana’s hurler let a curve get away from him, hitting Ivan Torres. LF Johnny Vigo capitalized, doubling on a line shot right past 1B Tim Baker and into the corner; Zecca cruised home, and Torres stumbled coming around third or he would have scored as well. He did anyway in the next PA as Wayne Ripley grounded softly to second. The inning ended with the Senators a single run back of Havana.

They got that run in their very next chance, as a leadoff walk by Parnell and a single by pinch hitter Trent Robinson but batters on first and third. Klink almost escaped, getting a popup out of Tyler Chapman and striking out PH Sean Brown, but Zecca came through with the single that tied it up.

Though both teams had chances in the ninth, neither capitalized. Klink struck out the last batter he faced to escape a first-and-third situation, bringing the game to extras.

Havana’s tenth was a disaster: After a leadoff single from PH Oscar Gonzalez, Tim Baker attempted a bunt but shot the ball directly to the strong fielding Madga on one hop. Magda whirled and fired to second to get Gonzalez, leaving time to swivel for a DP to nab the slow Baker. Instead of a runner on second, Havana had no one on with two down, and Juan Cruz struck out to finish the half.

Washington didn’t miss their shot. After a fly out by Tyler Chapman, Jon Evans took a five pitch walk, bringing Kevin Zecca to the place. Zecca, who had doubled to begin Washington’s seventh inning rally, turned on the first pitch he saw. He didn’t hit it that hard, but it floated just over the fence in left for a walk-off two run bomb that sent Washington fans home happy, despite looking at the twilight of their season.