APPLESOX FALL IN GAME TWO, DROP SERIES AT YAKIMA IN PITCHERS’ DUEL

YAKIMA, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (21-17, 6-5 second half) lost 5-2 against the Yakima Valley Pippins (19-19, 6-5), and the Pippins took the quick pitchers’ duel Thursday night at County Stadium.

Like game one, both starting pitchers were in their element. A hiccup in the second for Connor McCord (3-2) resulted in the first two runs of the game scoring for the Yakima Valley Pippins. Yakima Valley loaded the bases with no outs, including an infield bunt on a sacrifice try, that resulted in a single.

Dustin Yates drove in the first run on a sac fly, and a throwing error by McCord on a pickoff attempt brought home the second of the inning. Still, McCord got out of the frame with just a 2-0 deficit.

McCord threw 1-2-3 innings in the first, third, and fourth innings. Wenatchee got its first run in the top of the sith inning, on an RBI groundout for Jake Taylor after a single for Jacob Prater and a double for Evan Johnson. Prater went 3-for-5 and Johnson was 2-for-4 on the night.

Yakima Valley extended its lead off of McCord in the sixth, on a night when only two of his five runs came earned. McCrod gave up a two-out RBI double and single to Lucas Denney and Steve Sordahl. The fifth run off of him was in the seventh, on an RBI single for Dillon Plew. It was Plew’s third RBI of the series.

Pippin starter AJ Landis (2-3) was tough to get to for Wenatchee. They could only muster the one run off of him, and he departed after 6 2/3 innings.

Reliever Pete Minella got the save (1), allowing one run over the final 2 1/3 innings. Adrian Vela delivered on a bloop RBI single down the right-field line to give cut the Pippins deficit to three.

After Cameron Kurz struck out the side in the eight, the AppleSox couldn’t claw back in the ninth. Jordan Prendiz was hit by a pitch, but left aboard, and Yakima Valley took the 2-0 lead in the series.

Game three is Friday night at County Stadium. Left-hander, McKabe Cottrell (0-1) will get the start for the Wenatchee AppleSox at 7:05 p.m.