Trailing 7-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the host Washington Wild Things strung together seven hits and five runs off Florence Freedom closer Domingo Acosta and claimed an 8-7 win Monday night at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa.

Acosta (0-1) entered the game in the bottom of the eighth with the Freedom leading 6-3 and two runners aboard after starter Jason Bowlin had gone 7 1/3 effective innings. Acosta, who had allowed only one earned run in his first nine appearances this season, proceeded to strike out the Wild Things’ first baseman Nathan Messner and designated hitter Robbie Knapp to end the inning and preserve the three-run advantage.

Florence added another run in the top of the ninth off Washington closer Gus Hlebovy (1-0) when first baseman Beau Blacken’s sacrifice fly scored center fielder Reggie Watson to extend the Freedom advantage to 7-3.

Wild Things catcher Mario Garza led off the ninth-inning rally by blasting his fourth home run of the season to bring his team back within three runs at 7-4. After Acosta retired Washington shortstop Kyle Padgett on a groundout to second for the first out of the inning, Rene Quintana, Eric Earnhart and Chris Sidick singled consecutively to score another run. Left fielder Matt Sutton followed with a routine fly ball to center for the second out with the Freedom still leading 7-5. The Wild Things then completed their comeback when right fielder Jarod Rine, Messner and Knapp stroked three more ground-ball base hits and plated three more runs to account for the final margin.

The loss negated an impressive offensive display by the Freedom, who collected 11 hits off Wild Things pitching. Blacken’s two-run triple in the fifth capped a four-run inning that brought Florence back from a 3-0 deficit and gave the visitors their first lead at 4-3. Rookie left fielder Ryan Basham delivered two more runs in the seventh by belting his second home run of the season, a long blow to left-center field off Washington reliever Jeff Michael.

Bowlin got a no-decision for the second straight start after taking a four-run lead into the late innings. The former Fairfield (Ohio) High School star left in the seventh inning with a 5-1 lead June 6 at Chillicothe only to see the Paints score five times in the inning and post a 6-5 victory. Monday night, Bowlin allowed three runs on five hits and became the first Freedom starter to pitch as far as the eighth inning in a game this season. Messner’s three-run homer with two outs in the third accounted for all the runs the right-hander gave up.

The Freedom (9-10), who saw their three-game winning streak snapped, have now lost all five meetings with the East Division-leading Wild Things (13-5) this season. The comeback enabled Washington to extend its lead over second-place Florence to 4 ½ games.

The same two teams will square off at 7:05 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Consol Energy Park with right-hander Justin Staats on the mound for Washington. The Freedom have yet to decide on a starter.

Florence returns to Champion Window Field Wednesday, June 13 at 7:05 p.m. EDT to take on Central Division leader Windy City in the opener of a six-game home stand.