JOHNSON DRIVES IN FIVE, GARCIA HOMERS, APPLESOX WIN ANOTHER GAME ONE

WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (12-10) followed an easy formula Tuesday night in an 8-3 win over the Port Angeles Leftied (9-15), as Jalen Garcia homered and Evan Johnson drove in five runs in the game-one win.

The AppleSox fell behind 1-0 in the second inning, when an error extended the frame on starter Collin Maier (4-1). An RBI double gave the Lefties their only lead.

Wenatchee recovered in the third for a four-run frame. Johnson erased the deficit with his first of two, 2-RBI doubles off of Brandon Reynolds (0-1). Garcia brought him home with a two-run home run, the opposite way to right field.

Port Angeles trimmed the Wenatchee lead with solo home runs for Mike Ciancio and Ian Nowak in the fourth, but those were the last runs the Lefties could muster off of Maier and the rest of the AppleSox staff.

Maier threw five, three-run innings for his team-leading fourth win, and was backed up by Hugh Smith for three solid innings (five strikeouts), and an eighth hitless inning of the summer by Connor Leedholm.

Wenatchee added its insurance in the fourth on a second 2-RBI double for Johnson, wjo also drove in a run with a single in the sixth and finished with a four-hit night. It was Johnson’s 10th multi-hit night of the year, and eighth multi-RBI game of the season.

With 5 RBIs, he became the third player this summer to tie the team record for RBI in a single game. Johnson also has 31 RBI, which is first in the league, ahead of the next-best hitters (19 each).

Dugan Shirer added the AppleSox eighth run on an RBI single in the seventh off of Port Angeles reliever Issac Olson. Michael Spellacy also went 3-for-3 in the game.

The AppleSox are now 7-1 in game ones this year, and have won each of their last seven. The team is also 7-3 at home in league games.

The AppleSox can win the series Wednesday night, with Connor McCord (1-0) up on the mound. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.