Big inning

If you were wondering, yes, the 11-run seventh inning by Lake Erie Sunday night was the most runs the Wild Things have given up in an inning during a game at Consol Energy Park.

The previous record was 10 runs by Windy City in the fourth inning of a game Aug. 9, 2008. Windy City won that game 22-7, which came on the heels of a 13-5 win over the Wild Things one night earlier. That 10-run inning by the ThunderBolts included three home runs, including a grand slam. There were seven hits, three walks and an error in the frame.

The offensive numbers by Lake Erie in the seventh inning weren't as impressive: Three hits (one an infield single), no extra-base hits and only two batted balls that reached the outfield. There were eight walks, a hit batsman and two errors. For the night, Washington pitchers issued 13 walks.

Washington manager Darin Everson admitted after the game that he's concerned about the confidence of some of his relief pitchers. The Wild Things have had two bullpen meltdowns in the last five games.

"Definitely," he said. "We're trying to figure out what's going on with 'em because what's happening isn't what they've shown before. We have to figure out if it's a mental thing or there's something wrong from a physical or mechanical standpoint.

"The best thing is, tonight was just a big bump in the road. It looks worse because we had a 5-1 lead and was in command."

One guy in particular who is going through a rough stretch is Davis Bilardello. Through is first 13 outings with Washington, Bilardello had a 2.89 ERA and had not allowed more than two hits or two walks in a game. In his last three outings, Bilardello has pitched two innings, allowing nine hits, three walks and 12 runs (eight earned).

Bilardello's struggles are happening at the wrong time for Washington. With Kevin Hammons being placed on the DL Sunday, Bilardello is the only lefty the Wild Things have in the bullpen.

The longest night

The Wild Things tied their team record Wednesday night/Thursday morning for longest game by innings in a 5-4 loss at Southern Illinois in 17 innings.

The 5-hour, 29-hour minute game was easily the longest in terms of time in team history, and the second-longest is not even close to last night's marathon that the Wild Things had a stranglehold on in the bottom of the ninth.

Washington led 4-2 with two outs and nobody on base in the ninth. One out away from a win, closer Taylor Wulf issued a walk that preceded consecutive doubles that tied the score and forced a whole bunch of extra innings.

Here are some of the notables from the game:

* Washington catcher Blake Ochoa hit two home runs.

* The Wild Things' Davis Bilardello made his debut with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

* Wild Things reliever Matt Barnes threw six shutout innings and struck out eight. He did not walk a batter.

* Southern Illinois' Trey Manz, who is listed on the roster as a catcher but entered the game by playing right field, was shifted to pitcher during the extra innings. Manz made his pro pitching debut by throwing three shutout innings and getting the win. The 23-year-old Manz said he hadn't pitched since an intrasquad game in his sophomore year of college.

* Southern Illinois pitcher Ryan Quigley had to play right field for several innings.

* The losing pitcher was Sean Allaire, a backup infielder and catcher who relieved Barnes and started the 17th inning. Allaire pitched in one mopup inning earlier this year. Prior to that, he pitched in only one game in college (an alumni game) and one game in high school. The interesting part is that Washington had two relief pitchers they did not use: Kevin Hammons and Mick Mattaliano. Hammons did not appear in any of the Wild Things' first nine games, except to pinch-hit once in a blowout. He finally pitched in a game Tuesday night in the series opener and faced three batters, striking out two. Mattaliano also pitched Tuesday night, facing only one batter.

* The Wild Things' other 17-inning game was played in 2003 at home against Evansville. The Wild Things lost that one, too, 3-2. That game took only 4 hours and 26 minutes to play and here's why: the home-plate umpire that night had the widest strike ever in baseball. EVER! As I recall, all the pitchers had to do to get a strike call was throw the baseball to between Franklin Farms Road and the Taylorstown exit on I-70.

I know, you think I'm exaggerating. Well, I am. But only a little. Want proof? Here goes: There were only two walks in that game. Think about that for a moment. Only two walks in a 17-inning Frontier League game. None of the walks were issued by Washington pitchers. Only one walk came after the second inning. The first nine innings were played in only 1:58.

Washington's best chance to win came in the 16th inning when Joe Cuervo was tagged out trying to score from third base on a short passed ball. Evansville then won it in the 17th on an error and two singles.

Photo courtesy of the Marion Daily Republican.

Roster spot filled

The Wild Things have filled the roster spot left open when left-handed reliever Alan Williams had his contract purchased Sunday by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Washington has signed lefty pitcher Davis Bilardello (6-3, 200). He is the son of former major league catcher Dann Bilardello, who spent some time with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The younger Bilardello played at South Florida University and has been drafted twice, the last time in 2007 by the Cardinals. He spent 2007 playing in the New York-Penn League and had a 3-2 record and one save with a 4.15 ERA. He was promoted to high-Class A in 2008 and went 6-1 with two saves and a 4.25 ERA.

Bilardello hasn't pitched in a pro game since 2008. I found several stories that noted he was released by the Cardinals in the spring of 2009 and again this year. He was released by a team in the independent Can-Am League earlier this month.