APPLESOX FENDING OFF SWEEP, THURSDAY VERSUS COWLITZ

GAME NOTES
MEDIA GUIDE

Presented by Washington Trust Bank
APPLESOX (18-14) - (3-2, 2nd Half) VS COWLITZ BLACK BEARS (15-17 - (4-1, 2nd Half)
7:05 pm
Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Wenatchee, Wash.

EXTENDING THE RECORD
Last night, the AppleSox hit their 23rd and 24th home runs of the season, and with Connor McCord’s ninth-inning solo blast, the AppleSox have expanded on their team-record for players to hit a home run in a single season, as now 13 different AppleSox players have homered this year.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
The Cowlitz Black Bears won the three-game series last night, and also have staked a claim to the season series...the road series win was Cowlitz’s first all-time at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium...Cowlitz swept the AppleSox in the two teams’ only meeting last year, at Story field...this year, they lead the season series 4-1 and have won 8 of the last 10.

JOHNSON CLOSING IN
Evan Johnson added another to his WCL RBI total last night...with 39, he is now 9 RBI away from tying the Wenatchee single-season record of 48 in a season, set by Mitchell Gunsolus in 2012...Johnson is 12 away from Vince Fernandez’s 2014 record of 51 runs batted in. 

AVOID THE SWEEP
The last time the AppleSox were swept was the season-opening series at Walla Walla...Wenatchee lost the third game of that set in extra innings at Borleske Stadium. 

GET TO THE ‘PEN
Two of Wenatchee’s top relievers are available tonight in Connor Leedholm and Hugh Smith...Smith is a 6-8 right-hander with a 92-94 mph fastball and Leedholm has 14 hitless innings this summer.

COWLITZ SURGING
The recent rise of the Black Bears, is evident...Cowlitz has hit six home runs in the series (team had 7 all year coming into the series in Wenatchee)...in the last 10 games their offense is hitting .282 and in the last five games, the average swells to .312...at the same time, the pitching staff has only given up 14 runs in its last 44 innings.