Washington entered Saturday’s series finale against Ohio Valley as the Frontier League’s most explosive offense. It left humbled by a complete-game shutout as the Redcoats salvaged the series finale, 1-0. The Wild Things (33-21) had scored at least two runs in every game since its only other shutout loss, 3-0, at Rockford on June 18. They had also built momentum with a season-high five straight wins heading into a season-long nine-game road trip. All that was snapped by rookie Tom Cochran, who pitched his first professional complete game. Cochran (3-4) wasn’t particularly overpowering, but mixed pitches well and tested the corners constantly. “I was getting the outside corner for the lefties and the inside for the righties,” Cochran said. “The catcher just framed it up.” So well that the left-handed Cochran, just 2-4 entering the game with a 6.91 ERA, struck out five and allowed just one runner to reach third base. Washington managed just four hits and seven baserunners. “He was doing the same things that pitchers who get a complete-game shutout have been doing for 100 years,” Washington manager John Massarelli said. “He kept the ball down and had good control. That’s it.” Ohio Valley second baseman Nick Batkoski’s second-inning home run was the difference. It was Batkoski’s team-leading eighth home run. The Wild Things were set down in order in the first and second innings before getting runners on second and third with one out in the third with the top of the order coming up. Cochran settled down, inducing leadoff hitter Ryan McGraw’s foul popout before Lance Koenig’s inning-ending groundout to shortstop. It was the last serious threat until the eighth inning, when Washington failed to get down two attempted sacrifice bunts with runners on first and second. Randy McGarvey bunted into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game. It was Washington’s second double play of the game. “It’s hard to get shut out in this league,” Washington second baseman Bruce Baldwin said. “You almost have to help them some, and we did. But (Cochran) was on — his location was real good.” Washington, which leads the league in scoring with 366 runs, averaged 6.4 runs per game during its season-high five-game winning streak. It had won 9 of 11 and took first place from rival Florence before the loss. Brian Burks’ (7-2) solid eight-inning effort was wasted in the loss. The right-hander scattered four hits and struck out three. He walked two. “If you would have told me Burks pitched that well, you’d like your chances to win,” Massarelli said. “And we did have some chances.” Washington begins a nine-game road trip today. Brendon Davis will start the opener of a three-game series versus last-place Richmond (24-29). The 6-foot-5 right-hander is 3-1 with a 4.60 ERA in 10 games.

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