AppleSox Can’t Hang On To Lead, Walked Off By Falcons

The Wenatchee AppleSox took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh but fell to the Kelowna Falcons, 7-6, in 10 innings on Saturday night at Elks Stadium.

Wenatchee (37-16, 18-8 second half) falls to second place in the North Division in the second half with the loss thanks to Victoria (37-15, 18-7 second half) winning on Saturday at Edmonton. If the HarbourCats win again on Sunday at noon then the AppleSox will earn the first wild card spot in the North Division and host Game 1 of the North Division Series against Victoria on Tuesday at 6:35.

Back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning walked it off for Kelowna and gave Wenatchee its first extra-inning loss in five instances. The AppleSox loaded up the bases in the top of the 10th with two outs but stranded them to keep the game tied.

The Falcons tied the game up with four consecutive hitters reaching base in the bottom of the ninth before the first out was recorded. The winning run nearly scored in that inning but was tagged out trying to score on a passed ball.

Jayden Holloway and MJ Sweeney led the AppleSox’ bats with 3-for-5, 2-RBI nights. Sweeney plated two runs in the top of the first on an opposite-field single and Holloway delivered RBI singles in the fifth and seventh innings. Frankie Carney drew three walks and extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a two-out RBI single in the fourth to score Mason Persons after he delivered a two-out RBI double of his own.

Wenatchee wraps up the regular season on Sunday night with a 6:05 game against Kelowna. A win would give them their second-most victories in the regular season in franchise history.

AppleSox Play Penultimate Game Of 2023 Regular Season Tonight

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox look to earn their 13th series victory of the summer and remain in first place tonight as they face the Kelowna Falcons at 6:35 at Elks Stadium.

The AppleSox won another close game with a 3-2 win last night. Runs have been hard to come by on this road trip as Wenatchee has scored a combined eight runs over the first four games of this six-game swing. Despite that, the AppleSox’ 337 runs scored are second-most in the West Coast League.

Wenatchee leads the North Division in the second half with an 18-7 record and its magic number to clinch is down to two. The AppleSox will face the HarbourCats in the North Division Series on Tuesday night but it remains to be seen where the series will begin as Victoria is only half-a-game out of first with two games left in the regular season. Game 1 will be played at the site of the team with the lower record before the higher seed hosts Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3.

Frankie Carney singled in the first inning last night to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. He is one game away from matching Easton Amundson’s 15-game stretch from June 4-22. His .360 average is fourth-best in the WCL. Each of the last two nights he has extended his hitting streak with first-inning singles.

Izzy Lopez is looking to record his fourth consecutive multi-steal game. He has swiped two bases in each of the last three games and leads the AppleSox with 17 stolen bases. Lopez is already tied for the fourth-most stolen bases in a single and is seven away from moving into second place.

Quincy Vassar will start a day earlier in the weekend than he has for his last three starts. He tossed five innings and gave up three runs last Sunday against Edmonton. The left-hander at Vanguard struck out four, walked three and allowed five hits in his fifth start of at least five innings. Vassar is 1-2 with a 3.99 ERA, 37 strikeouts, 25 walks and 34 hits over 38.1 innings in eight games (all starts).

Kelowna has announced that its listed probable pitcher, Jaxon Byrd, will not start tonight.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

AppleSox Win Another Close Game, Top Falcons

The Wenatchee AppleSox opened up the weekend with a 3-2 win over the Kelowna Falcons on Friday night at Elks Stadium.

Trei Hough (2-0) allowed one run over five innings while Braiden Boyd locked down a four-inning save for his third of the summer. The win was the AppleSox second straight victory in which it only needed two pitchers.

Wenatchee (37-15, 18-7 second half) is still a half-a-game ahead of Victoria (36-15, 17-7 second half) with two games to go and a magic number of two to clinch the North Division second half title. The AppleSox have matched the 2012 team for the second-most victories in a single summer in regular-season play in their 23-year history.

Boyd allowed the first two runners of the ninth inning to reach base but stranded both in scoring position with three consecutive outs. His four innings and five strikeouts were both single-game highs in his nine appearances. Boyd allowed one run on a bases-loaded single with one out in the sixth inning in his first frame out of the pen but recorded the next two outs after that to strand three men.

Mason Persons delivered a two-out RBI single in the top of the second before Kelowna evened the game up in the bottom of the inning on three straight hits. Sebastian David hit a sacrifice fly and Jayden Holloway added an RBI single in the third to give the AppleSox the lead again and for good.

Wenatchee will attempt to win its 13th series of the summer on Saturday night as it faces Kelowna at 6:35. Pregame coverage on the AppleSox Radio Network begins at 6:10 p.m. presented by Kenady Real Estate Group. Fans can listen at 93.9 FM in Wenatchee or online at kcsyfm.com.

AppleSox Begin Regular Season-Ending Series Tonight

The Wenatchee AppleSox face the Kelowna Falcons tonight in the first game of a three-game set at 6:35 at Elks Stadium.

This is Wenatchee’s final series of the regular season before opening up the 2023 West Coast League Playoffs on Tuesday night. Where Game 1 of the North Division Series will be played depends on how the AppleSox fare this weekend. If the AppleSox can hang onto the second seed, then they will have home-field advantage in the best-of-three North Division Series against the team with the best overall record in the division that did not win the first or second half. Game 1 will be played at the site of the team with the lower record before the higher seed hosts Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3.

The AppleSox are coming off salvaging a three-game series against the Bellingham Bells with a 3-2 win. MJ Sweeney hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the fifth and Jadon Williamson did not allow a run over the final 5.2 innings. Wenatchee improved to 36-15 overall and 17-7 in the second half. Their magic number to win the second half is down to three.

This is the first time that the AppleSox have faced the Falcons since taking two-of-three games against them June 16-18. Kelowna took the first game thanks to two home runs and survived a Wenatchee ninth-inning rally. The AppleSox blew a five-run lead in the top of the eighth on June 17 by allowing six runs but scored five times in the bottom of the frame to earn the win. Wenatchee took the rubber match with an 8-0 win, their first of four shutout victories.

Trei Hough makes his second start of the summer and his fourth appearance for the AppleSox. He is 1-0 with a 3.11 ERA, eight strikeouts, three walks and 11 hits over 8.2 innings. Hough started last Friday and allowed three runs on eight hits, one walk and four strikeouts. He has started 19-of-21 games in the past two years at the University of Jamestown in the spring.

Cory Lawson makes his third start and fourth appearance overall for Kelowna. He gave up four runs on seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts over five innings. Lawson is 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA, six strikeouts, eight walks and 15 hits over five innings.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

AppleSox Salvage Series With Bells

The Wenatchee AppleSox avoided being swept by defeating the Bellingham Bells, 3-1, on Thursday night at Joe Martin Field.

MJ Sweeney hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie and Jadon Williamson fired 5.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Wenatchee (36-15, 17-7 second half) remains a half-a-game ahead of the Victoria HarbourCats for first place in the North Division in the second half with three games left in the regular season.

The Bells scored first in the bottom of the first inning but the AppleSox scored the final three runs. A bases-loaded fielder’s choice tied the game in the top of the second before Sweeney launched a 338-foot home run in the fifth. A stolen base and a throwing error in the top of the ninth plated an insurance run to cap the scoring.

Williamson (4-1) entered with a runner at second and one out in the fourth and shut the door, getting each of the final 17 outs. His most impressive inning was the eighth when he allowed a leadoff single but struck out the next three hitters to strand the tying run at the second. Williamson fired at least five innings in relief for a third time this summer and also pitched at least four innings for a fifth time in 10 appearances.

The AppleSox wrap up the regular season this weekend at Kelowna to take on a Falcons team that has rattled off four consecutive victories. Kelowna is two games out of first place in the second half and has already punched a playoff berth after sweeping Kamloops.

AppleSox Wrap Up Season Series Against Bells Tonight

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox attempt to salvage their mid-week series against the Bellingham Bells tonight at 6:35 at Joe Martin Field.

Wenatchee dropped the series-opener, 12-1, on Tuesday night before falling, 3-2, last night. This is only the AppleSox’ fourth series loss of the summer but their second to the Bells.

Wenatchee entered the series leading the WCL in runs scored but have only tallied three runs in the first two games. The AppleSox have scored six runs in their last six games at Joe Martin Field dating back to the start of the 2022 season. The Bells have won each of those games and 12 of the last 13 head-to-head meetings. Bellingham also has the top ERA in the WCL at 2.89.

The AppleSox are still in first place in the second half North Division standings but are only a half-a-game ahead of the Victoria HarbourCats and two games ahead of the Kelowna Falcons. A Wenatchee loss and a Victoria win tonight would flip flop the two teams. If the AppleSox can hang into the second seed, then they will have home-field advantage in the best-of-three North Division Series against the team with the best overall record in the division that did not win the first or second half. Game 1 will be played at the site of the team the lower record before the higher seed hosts Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3.

Wenatchee will need to slow down outfielder Dean West to salvage the series against Bellingham. The incoming freshman at UCLA is batting .234 through 27 games but is hitting .417 (5-for-12) with six walks and seven runs in four games against the AppleSox. He has not stolen any bases in this series but swiped four bags last week at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium and leads the Bells with 15 stolen bases.

Wenatchee sends newcomer Wyatt Queen to the mound for his first start of the summer. The incoming freshman at Everett Community College is making his AppleSox debut after graduating from Lake Stevens High School this spring. Queen posted a 0.74 ERA with 52 strikeouts, five walks and 23 hits over 37.2 innings as a senior. He is the 14th different AppleSox pitcher to make a start this summer.

The Bells send Hunter Long to the mound to try and earn the series sweep. The incoming freshman at Michigan State has 0.67 ERA, 18 strikeouts, six walks and seven hits over 13.1 innings. Long fired four scoreless innings with five strikeouts, two walks and one hit last Thursday against the AppleSox. Bellingham starters have combined to allow seven runs over 18.2 innings in five games against the AppleSox.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

Late Home Run Sinks AppleSox Against Bells

The Wenatchee AppleSox dropped the second game of their three-game series against the Bellingham Bells, 3-2, on Wednesday night at Joe Martin Field.

The Bells turned a 2-1 deficit in the bottom of the sixth into a lead on a two-run home run by Daryl Ruiz. They have taken each of the last four games and all but one of five against the AppleSox in the season series.

Frankie Carney recorded two hits for his 16th multi-hit game to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. He singled in a run in the third to tie the game up before adding a single in the sixth. Izzy Lopez also recorded two hits and scored the other run in the fifth on a steal of third and a throwing error.

Samuel Round tossed five innings to mark that length for a fourth consecutive start. He only allowed two runs on two hits, three walks and four strikeouts.

Wenatchee is a half-a-game ahead of Victoria for first place in the second half after the HarbourCats defeated Nanaimo, 9-5, on Wednesday. Kelowna moved two games behind of the AppleSox after the Falcons topped Kamloops, 10-0.

The AppleSox look to salvage the three-game series on Thursday night at 6:35 against the Bells.

AppleSox Continue Series At Bellingham Tonight

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox continue their six-game road trip by facing the Bellingham Bells in the second game of a three-game set at 6:35 p.m. at Joe Martin Field.

The AppleSox are looking to get back in the win column after the Bells earned a 12-1 win last night. It was Wenatchee’s largest margin of defeat and they were nearly shut out for the first time this summer before scoring in the ninth inning. AppleSox pitching struggled with walks, issuing a season-high 11 free passes.

Wenatchee’s loss puts them a game-and-a-half ahead of Victoria and three games ahead of Kelowna for the top spot in the North Division in the second half. If the AppleSox win the second half, then they will host Game 2 against the North Division Series against the HarbourCats or the Falcons a week from today and Game 3, if necessary, on Aug. 10. If Wenatchee does not win the second half, then it will host Game of the best-of-three series next Tuesday. Victoria defeated Nanaimo, 8-6, last night while Kelowna defeated Kamloops, 5-4.

The Bells continued their recent dominance over the AppleSox with last night’s win. Bellingham has won 11 of its last 12 games against Wenatchee dating back to July 15, 2021. The AppleSox have not won a series at Joe Martin Field since 2016 and are 4-13 at the home of the Bells since then. Wenatchee has lost each of its last six games at Bellingham and is 32-34 there all time.

The AppleSox send Samuel Round to the mound to try and even up the series. He struck out a season-high 10 hitters over five innings last Thursday and earned a no-decision against the Bells. Round allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks in his third consecutive start of at least five innings. The incoming freshman at Gonzagawill try to help the AppleSox avoid losing just their fourth series of the summer and their first to the same opponent twice. Round is 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA, 26 strikeouts, 10 walks and 19 hits over 22 innings in six games (four starts).

The Bells will counter with Isaac Yeager, who surrendered four runs over 3.2 innings last Wednesday. The righty from Washington struck out three, walked five and allowed two hits but picked up a no-decision as Bellingham rallied to eventually win. 7-5. Yeager is 0-1 with a 3.50 ERA, 13 strikeouts, 14 walks and 13 hits over 18 innings in seven games (four starts).

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

Carney Extends Hitting Streak But AppleSox Fall To Bells

The Wenatchee AppleSox dropped the first game of their six-game road trip, 12-1, to the Bellingham Bells on Tuesday night at Joe Martin Field.

Reigning West Coast League Player Of The Week Frankie Carney singled to lead off the game but was stranded at third. His hit extended his hitting streak to 11 games, the third longest by an AppleSox hitter this summer.

The Bells pounced with runs in six of their eight innings at the plate to claim their third win in four meetings against the AppleSox. Bellingham nearly shut out Wenatchee for the first time this summer before the AppleSox added a run in the ninth on a leadoff hit by pitch, defensive indifference and then consecutive groundouts.

Wenatchee (35-14, 16-6 second half) remains in first place in the second half. They are a game-and-a-half ahead of the Victoria HarbourCats, who are a game-and-a-half out of first. The Kelowna Falcons are three games back and will host the AppleSox this weekend to wrap up the regular season.

The AppleSox look to even up the mid-week series on Wednesday night when they face the Bells again at 6:35. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 and can be heard on 93.9 FM or at kcsyfm.com.

AppleSox Embark On Final Road Trip Of Regular Season

GAME NOTES

After clinching a playoff spot this past weekend the Wenatchee AppleSox will wrap up the regular season with a six-game road trip, beginning tonight against the Bellingham Bells at 6:35 at Joe Martin Field.

The AppleSox are coming off a three-game sweep of the Edmonton Riverhawks to eliminate them from the playoffs. Wenatchee's eighth sweep of the summer set a new single-season record for the 23-year-old franchise. They also finished the summer at 21-6 at home in regular season play against West Coast League opponents, another new record set by this summer's team.

Now, Wenatchee looks to lock in its playoff positioning. If the season ended today, then the AppleSox would hold home-field advantage in the first round of the North Division Series. Bellingham has already secured the top seed by winning the first half but Wenatchee will hold home-field advantage for the entire postseason if it finishes the summer with both top spot in the North Division in the second half and the top overall record in the WCL.

With six games remaining in the regular season the AppleSox' magic number is down to four to win the North in the second half. They will travel to Kelowna after this series and look to remain above third-place Victoria, who sits 2.5 games back of Wenatchee. The Falcons sit in fourth place in the standings and are four games out of first place. The AppleSox took two-of-three games against them June 16-18 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Kelowna takes on Kamloops (11-35, 4-15 second half) this week before hosting the AppleSox to wrap up the regular season. Meanwhile, Victoria travels to Edmonton (15-33, 8-13 second half) after hosting Nanaimo (24-24, 10-11 second half).

The Bells came to the Apple Capital last week and took the final two games of the series with the AppleSox after dropping the first game of the series. Wenatchee won 5-1 a week ago to earn its 12th consecutive win at home, a new franchise record, but the Bells began a stretch of five consecutive victories last Wednesday. Bellingham swept Port Angeles over the weekend and is now two wins away from matching its season-best seven-game win streak from June 21-27.

For the second week in a row an AppleSox player earned WCL Player Of The Week after Frankie Carney took home the honor. He hit .370 (10-for-27) with three multi-hit games, seven runs and three stolen bases. Carney became the third AppleSox player to earn the WCL Player Of The Week honor in 2023, joining Easton Amundson (June 12-18) and Carson Ohland (July 17-23).

Felix Schlede makes his fourth start of the summer for Wenatchee. The right-hander at Central Arizona has no record, a 1.92 ERA, 12 strikeouts, six walks and six hits over 9.1 innings in three games. He gave up one run on five hits, two walks and five strikeouts over 3.2 innings last Tuesday against the Bells. This will be his ninth game on the mound for the AppleSox in the last two summers but his first appearance on the road.

Bellingham will also send the same starter as last Tuesday to the bump with Daniel Paret getting the ball. The lefty from Stetson is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA, 40 strikeouts, 17 walks and 19 hits over 21.2 innings in seven games (all starts). He suffered the loss by surrendering two runs on six hits, two walks and one strikeout last week.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

Carney Earns WCL Player Of The Week

AppleSox infielder Frankie Carney has been named the West Coast League Player Of The Week of July 24-30

The infielder at UC Irvine hit .370 (10-for-27) with three multi-hit games, seven runs and three stolen bases. Carney helped the AppleSox record a 4-2 week and clinch a spot in the playoffs.

The redshirt freshman at UC Irvine holds the second-best batting average in the WCL (.364) while leading the league in runs (41) and is tied for sixth in walks (32). Carney carried a 10-game hitting streak in Tuesday night’s game at Bellingham. The San Diego native is the fourth different AppleSox hitter record a double-digit hitting streak this summer and is batting .459 (17-for-37) over it.

This is the third time that an AppleSox player has been awarded Player Of The Week and the second consecutive week that they have won one. Easton Amundson was previously awarded the honor June 12-18. He batted .291 (7-for-24) with a double, two triples, three home runs and 10 RBI. Carson Ohland just earned the honor for July 17-23 by leading the AppleSox to a perfect 6-0 week with a .421 (8-for-19) average, double, two home runs, nine runs, 6 RBI and two stolen bases.

Carney and the AppleSox wrap up the regular season with a six-game road trip this week. It begins Tuesday night for the first game of a three-game set against the Bellingham Bells before wrapping up the regular with three games against the Kelowna Falcons. All six games can be watched on the WCL streaming page or listened to kcsyfm.com.

AppleSox Break Single Season Records For Home Wins, Sweeps

The Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Edmonton Riverhawks, 8-5, in their final home game of the 2023 regular season on Sunday afternoon at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

MJ Sweeney broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the seventh with a 2-RBI single. He added an RBI on a groundout in the third while Carson Ohland also drove in three runs in the win.

The AppleSox are 2.5 games ahead of the Victoria HarbourCats for first place in the North Division in the second half after they lost to the Kelowna Falcons, 10-0, on Sunday afternoon. Wenatchee also has the top overall record in the entire West Coast League at 35-13, a game above the 34-14 Corvallis Knights.

Edmonton took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning when Jayden Halloway singled in the AppleSox’ first run a batter after Nick Putnam troubled to right field with one out. They tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Ohland in the third before Sweeney reached on a fielder’s choice. Frankie Carney broke from third for home on a ground ball to the left side and beat the throw home to give the AppleSox the lead.

Austin Ohland provided insurance in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single but the Riverhawks chipped away with a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to tie the game up before Sweeney’s 2-RBI single in the seventh with runners at second and third and the infield drawn in. Carson Ohland delivered a two-out bases-loaded 2-RBI single in the eighth to pad the lead.

The Riverhawks scored an unearned run in the ninth but could not tie the game up. Wenatchee won five-of-six games in the season series with Edmonton and have seven-of-eight meetings in the two-season head-to-head history.

Wenatchee finishes 21-6 at home for the best regular season mark at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in their 23-year history. The 2023 season home record surpasses a 20-6 mark in 2013 and a 20-7 record in 2012. The AppleSox also earned their eighth sweep of the 2023 season, moving out of a tie with the 2011 season for the most in a single summer.

Monday is an off day and then the AppleSox play their final six games of the regular season on the road, beginning on Tuesday night against Bellingham. The Bells took two-of-three games against Wenatchee this past Wednesday and Thursday to give the AppleSox one of their three series losses this season. Those two losses were also the only two games that Wenatchee dropped of their final 12 home games.

The 2023 WCL Playoffs begin on Aug. 8. The AppleSox will host Game 2 on Aug. 9 and, if necessary, Game 3 on Aug. 10, if they finish the regular season atop the North Division in the second half. If Wenatchee does not win the North, then it will host Game 1 on Aug. 8. If the season ended today then the AppleSox would have home-field advantage against the HarbourCats.

AppleSox Defeat Riverhawks, Clinch Postseason Berth

For the 15th time in their 23-season franchise history the Wenatchee AppleSox have clinched playoff berth. The AppleSox defeated the Edmonton RiverHawks, 10-1, on Saturday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee (34-13, 15-5 second half) guarantees that it will have a top three overall record in the North Division and now will look to win the second half in order to lock up home-field advantage in the first round and potentially for longer in the postseason. The AppleSox currently have the best overall record in the entire West Coast League.

Ryan Martinez (3-2) went seven strong innings in his final start of the summer to earn the victory and give the AppleSox their 12th series victory. The right-hander from Pacific struck out four and only allowed one unearned run on four hits and one walk in his sixth start of at least five innings.

Trent Liolios, Mason Persons and Jayden Halloway all drove in two runs apiece as the AppleSox struck in six consecutive innings. Frankie Carney finished 3-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to nine games. The redshirt freshman at UC Irvine has the fourth-best batting average in the WCL with a .364 mark.

The AppleSox go for the series sweep in their final home game of the regular season Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Arrive early to get baseball cards of Carney, Izzy Lopez and Braiden Boyd. Tickets are available at AppleSox.com/2023-schedule

AppleSox Play Penultimate Home Game Of 2023 Regular Season Tonight

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox host the Edmonton Riverhawks tonight in the team’s annual trip to Hawaii giveaway night at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The second game of the three-game set is presented by Worx. Each inning a lucky ticket number will be called and the nine fans will roll coconuts balls from the mound to home plate. The closest one will win a five-night Hawaii vacation at Kona Royal Resort with lodging and airfare paid for. The trip is presented by the AppleSox, Sunny FM and Journey Travel & Tours. Tickets can be purchased at AppleSox.com/2023-schedule.

Meanwhile, the AppleSox are attempting to win their 12th series victory of the summer tonight. Wenatchee walked off Edmonton in 13 innings last night in their longest game of the summer. Last night’s game was the 11th time in AppleSox history that they played at least a 13-inning game and the first time that a game went that long since they defeated the Bend Elks, 3-2, in 14 innings on June 27, 2014 at Vince Genna Stadium. The longest game in AppleSox history was a 7-6 win in 16 innings on the road at the Kitsap Blue Jackets on Aug. 6, 2005.

The AppleSox trailed three different times last night but came back in each instance to even the game. They never led until winning the game in the bottom of the 13th. Wenatchee has not held a lead in a game since scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on Wednesday to take a 5-3 advantage. That means that Wenatchee trailed or was tied with its opponent for 23.5 innings before winning last night.

A key to taking tonight’s game might be how the first inning goes. Wenatchee scored in the first inning in five consecutive games from July 19-25 and won all five games. They outscored their opponents, 10-4, in that span but have now given up runs in the first inning in two of the last three games while losing two of those. Overall, Wenatchee is outscoring opponents, 41-32, in the opening frame.

Ryan Martinez makes his final start of the summer tonight. He is looking to bounce back after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits, one walk and one strikeout in one inning last Saturday against Nanaimo. Martinez is 2-2 with a 4.40 ERA, 23 strikeouts, six walks and 42 hits over 32.2 innings in seven games (all starts). He opened the summer with a 2.55 ERA in his first four games and went at least five innings each of them but has a 10.10 ERA in the last three games and made it to the fifth inning once.

Edmonton has not listed a probable pitcher for tonight.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv. Tonight’s game can also be watched on the NCWLIFE Channel, their Facebook page or ncwlife.com.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear a recap of last night’s game, highlights and the postgame interview with pitching coach Mike Callia. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Overcome Three Deficits, Win In 13th

Carson Ohland delivered a walkoff RBI infield single in the bottom of the 13th to give the Wenatchee AppleSox a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks on Friday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee (33-13, 14-5 second half) trailed three different times but rallied to tie the game in each instance. Andrew Monson (2-1) tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn the victory.

The AppleSox remain a game-and-a-half ahead of Victoria for second place in the North Division in the second half. The HarbourCats shut out the Kelowna Falcons, 5-0, Friday night. If the season ended today then the AppleSox would host Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 against the HarbourCats in the best-of-three North Division Series.

Ohland capped a two-out rally in the bottom of the 13th with an infield chopper to the left side. Wenatchee drew three consecutive walks after opening up the inning with consecutive outs. The AppleSox are now 4-0 in extra innings and have recorded five walkoffs this summer.

Wenatchee surrendered the game’s first two runs when four consecutive hitters reached base with two outs in the first inning. The AppleSox even the game up on back-to-back RBI doubles by Reeve Boyd and Cam Hoiland in the fourth. That tie wouldn’t last a half inning as the Riverhawks strung together three singles in the inning to take a 3-2 lead.

The AppleSox were down to their final three outs two different times but answered in both instances. First, they loaded up the bases n a leadoff single and back-to-back bunt attempts that were misplayed in the bottom of the ninth. Reeve Boyd his a sacrifice fly to force extras. Easton Amundson delivered an opposite field single in the bottom of the 10th to again force another inning.

Monson entered with a runner at second and one out in the top of the 10th after Michael Cunneely had fired 4.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Monson walked each of the first three hitters of the inning but struck out the final two batters to limit the damage and begin a stretch where he retired the final 11 hitters that he faced in order. That included a stretch where Monson struck out the side in the 12th.

The AppleSox go for the series victory on Saturday night when they host the Riverhawks at 6:35. It’s the annual trip to Hawaii giveaway game where all fans who attend are eligible to win the trip thanks in part to Sunny FM and Journey Travel & Tours. Saturday’s game is presented by Worx and begins at 6:35.

AppleSox Host Riverhawks For First Time Tonight

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox begin their final home series of the regular season tonight as they face the Edmonton Riverhawks at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee (32-13, 13-5 second half) wraps up its 12-game homestand this weekend looking for one last home series victory. The AppleSox are 18-6 at home and have captured six-of-eight series at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. They had won 12 consecutive games in league play prior to Wednesday night but with Thursday’s loss have now dropped back-to-back games at home for the first time this summer. They remain in first place in the North Division in the second half, a-game-and-a-half ahead of Victoria and 2.5 games ahead of Kelowna.

This is the Edmonton Riverhawks’ first-ever trip to Wenatchee. The AppleSox and the Riverhawks squared off in Edmonton earlier this summer as the calendar flipped from June to July. Wenatchee took two-of-three games on the road and lead the all-time two-year series, 4-2. Ryan Martinez, who starts tomorrow, tossed 6.2 strong innings with only two runs allowed in a 12-3 series-opener on June 30 and Nick Putnam drove in four runs in a 12-4 win on July 2. The Riverhawks scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning on Canada Day in between and cruised to an 11-2 victory as they recorded 19 hits in front of a crowd of 6,761.

Edmonton (14-30, 4-13 second half) are 5.5 games out of first place in the second half with nine games to go. They only way that they can make the postseason is by winning the second half, but they will have to leapfrog the five teams ahead of them.

The Riverhawks enter Friday night on a four-game winning streak that just included a four-game sweep of Port Angeles. Edmonton scored a season-high 16 runs on Wednesday as Jonny McGill and Mark Ossanna both recorded three-hit games in the win. The bulk of their damage came late in the game as they scored nine runs over the final two innings.

The remaining schedule for both teams has its challenges as they both looks to earn postseason berths. Edmonton returns home to host Port Angeles this Tuesday before wrapping up the regular season against Edmonton Aug. 4-6. Wenatchee ends the regular season on a six-game road trip with stops in Bellingham and Kelowna. The WCL Playoffs begin on Aug. 8 with the best-of-three Division Series. The Division Championship Games are Aug. 12 with the WCL Championship Game on Aug. 14.

Trei Hough makes his first start of the summer tonight in his third appearance with the AppleSox. He last pitched on Sunday, entering with runners at first and third and one out in the top of the fifth with the AppleSox ahead by one run. Hough stranded both runners and Wenatchee scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to get some breathing room before allowing an unearned run the next inning. He made his summer debut on July 19 with two scoreless innings of relief against Bend. The right-hander from the University of Jamestown is 1-0 with four strikeouts, two walks, three hits and no earned runs given up in 3.2 innings.

Jack Bolt starts the series opener for the Riverhawks. The incoming junior at UC Santa Barbara has a 13.50 ERA with five strikeouts, eight walks and five hits over four innings in three games (one start). He was removed in the first inning of his first start on June 28 after giving up three runs on two hits, three walks and only recording one out against Bellingham. It has been exactly a month since he last pitched.

This final home series of the regular season is Aloha Weekend. The AppleSox will be giving away a free trip to Hawaii tomorrow night to one lucky fan in attendance thanks in part to Sunny FM and Journey Travel & Tours. Tonight the team will be holding a kids hula hoop contest and the winner will receive a bat signed by the entire AppleSox team. Tonight’s game is being sponsored by Confluence Health and tickets can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv. Tonight’s game can also be watched on the NCWLIFE Channel, their Facebook page or ncwlife.com.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear a recap of last night’s game, highlights and the pregame interview with Easton Amundson. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

AppleSox Can’t Complete Ninth Inning Comeback, Drop Series

The Wenatchee AppleSox scored three times in the ninth inning but fell to the Bellingham Bells, 6-5, on Thursday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Wenatchee (32-13, 13-5 second half) dropped back-to-back home games for the first time this summer. They remain in first place in the second half of the North Division, a game-and-a-half ahead of Victoria and two games ahead of Kelowna. The HarbourCats were rained out on Thursday while the Falcons defeated Nanaimo, 7-2. The AppleSox are tied with the Corvallis Knights for the best record in the West Coast League.

Wenatchee trailed by four runs in the bottom of the ninth but came within one run of tying the game. A wild pitch scored one runner from third but the final out was recorded at third base, thwarting the AppleSox of the opportunity to put the tying run 90 feet away.

Samuel Round became the AppleSox’ second starter to punch out double-digit hitters as he struck out 10 over five innings. Izzy Lopez went 3-for-4 and scored two runs while Reeve Boyd singled twice and also walked.

The AppleSox trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth. One unearned run scored in the top of the first when three of the first four hitters reached base but Round struck out the final two hitters of the inning to strand two men. He punched out the side in order in the second to stick out five consecutive batters. Round’s first two outs recorded in the third were also strikeouts but the Bells cashed in on a leadoff walk with a two-out RBI single.

Lopez led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and broke for third before the pitch that Boyd dumped into center field. The AppleSox added a second run two batters when Franke Carney singled in Boyd after a sacrifice bunt in between.

The Bells didn’t wait long to tie the game back up, plating two runs thanks in part to two walks and two errors while only collecting one hit. They added an insurance run in the eighth and another in the ninth, which proved to be the difference, but gave them a four run lead at the time.

Pinch hitter Mason Persons drew a full-count walk in the bottom of the ninth and went to second two batters later on Lopez’s third hit of the game. Boyd singled to load up the bases and Cam Hoiland reached on a fielder’s choice to score Persons from third. Carney reached on an error and Lopez scored to put Hoiland at second and Carney, the tying run, at first. Hoiland broke for third in the middle of Carson Ohland’s at-bat and scored from third without hesitation to cut the deficit to one. Carney advanced to second, hesitated momentarily about also moving up a base before deciding to but was thrown out at third to end the game.

Prior to Thursday’s game the AppleSox presented right-handed pitcher Jake Putnam with the fifth annual Tommy Watanabe Award. To learn more about the award please visit applesox.com/tommy-watanabe-award

The AppleSox lost their first home series since June 6-8 and only their second all summer. Wenatchee is 18-6 at home and welcomes the Edmonton Riverhawks to town for the first of a three-game series on Friday night at 6:35.

Putnam Receives 2023 Tommy Watanabe Award

AppleSox right-handed pitcher Jake Putnam has been named the 2023 recipient of the Tommy Watanabe Award.

Putnam, an incoming senior at Butler, received the award prior to the AppleSox’ home game against the Bellingham Bells on Thursday night. The Tommy Watanabe Award is presented each season to an AppleSox player who best represents respect for the game of baseball and all around it as well as a passion for the AppleSox organization.

“Jake is the perfect representation of AppleSox Baseball,” head coach Mitch Darlington said. “He shows up to the field everyday with a smile on his face and ready to do whatever it takes to get a win. Jake is a servant leader. He puts the team and the organization first in all aspects of the game. On and off the field there is nobody who leads by example better than Jake Putnam.”

The Danville, Calif. native is in his second summer with the AppleSox and makes his presence felt each day, whether or not he pitches. He is typically one of the first players to the field and always volunteers to water the field. Putnam always is in a great mood, whether he has had a tough game or just closed out another AppleSox win.

Putnam is the fifth recipient of the Tommy Watanabe Award, created in 2019 in honor of former AppleSox player Tommy Watanabe, who passed away in 2017. Putnam joins Joichiro Oyama in 2022 joins Michael O’Hara in 2021, Johnny Sage in 2019, Jacob Prater in 2018 as winners of the award. 

To learn more about Tommy Watanabe and the Award, please visit applesox.com/tommy-watanabe-award

AppleSox Take On Bells In Rubber Match On Thirsty Thursday

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox conclude their three-game series with the Bellingham Bells tonight at 6:35 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox suffered their first loss at home last night since June 27 as the visitors rallied late to claim a 7-5 lead. Wenatchee erased a 3-0 deficit with a five-run bottom of the fourth but Bellingham retook the lead with four runs in the eighth scored in part due to three AppleSox errors.

That loss snapped Wenatchee’s 12-game home winning streak in league play and seven-game win streak overall. Victoria and Kelowna also both lost on Wednesday, meaning that they still remain two and three games back, respectively, of Wenatchee in the second half. Ten games remain in the regular season and the next four are at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium before a six-game road trip to Bellingham and Kelowna to conclude the schedule.

Despite the loss last night the AppleSox got another impressive night from Carson Ohland. He extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-out 2-RBI double to cap the scoring in the fifth and give Wenatchee its first lead of the game. Ohland becomes the third different AppleSox player to record a double-digit hit streak, joining Brandham Ponce (11 games, June 8-21) and Easton Amundson (15 games, June 4-22).

Speaking of Amundson, the AppleSox get a surprise addition today as he returns today for the next week. Amundson originally concluded his summer on July 9 but was convinced by Wenatchee’s coaching staff to come back for the next seven games before he has to head east for his junior year at Liberty. Amundson has not played in the last 14 games but still leads the West Coast League with seven home runs. In addition to leading the AppleSox in home runs he also leads the team with 25 RBI, two triples and 15 extra-base hits. Amundson is three home runs away from becoming the AppleSox’ all-time leader in home runs in a single regular season to surpass Taylor Sparks, who hit nine regular-season home runs in 2012 before adding one in the playoffs.

Samuel Round attempts to deliver a series-clinching start tonight. He has earned the win in each of his last two games, first allowing one run over a season-high six innings on July 12 at Nanaimo before striking out a single-game high six batters on July 19 against Bend. Round is 2-0 with a 4.23 ERA, 16 strikeouts, seven walks and 14 hits over 17 innings in five games (three starts).

Bellingham sends Hunter Long to the mound in attempt to win its second consecutive series. He has a 0.56 ERA with 13 strikeouts, four walks and six hits over 9.1 innings in five relief appearances. Long last pitched three scoreless innings with five strikeouts, no walks and two hits last Friday at Kamloops.

Tonight’s game is a Thirsty Thursday. Fans can purchase general admission tickets for as affordable as $3 at AppleSox.com/2023-schedule and fans 21-and-over can enjoy discounts on adult beverages.

The AppleSox will be holding their fifth annual presentation of the Tommy Watanabe Award to an AppleSox player prior to the game. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:20 to ensure that they will be able to see the whole ceremony. Please visit applesox.com/tommy-watanabe-award to learn more about the award.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games can also be watched on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

Rough Eighth Inning Dooms AppleSox Wednesday

The Wenatchee AppleSox lost their first home game in almost a month as they fell to the Bellingham Bells, 7-5, on Wednesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Bellingham scored four times on three hits and three Wenatchee errors to force a rubber match between the two teams on Thursday night at 6:35. The AppleSox’ seven-game winning streak and 12-game home winning streak both came to an end on Wednesday as they fell at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in league play for the first time since June 27.

Joey Pearson struck out two in 2.1 scoreless innings of relief midway through the game. He stranded inherited runners at first and second after entering in the fourth. Pearson hit the first batter of the fifth but retired the next three hitters, including the final two with strikeouts, before setting down the side in order in the sixth.

The AppleSox scored five times in the bottom of the fourth to overcome a 3-1 deficit. MJ Sweeney and Izzy Lopez drew back-to-back walks to open the inning before being sacrificed over. Mason Persons grounded out to third to scored Sweeney before Lopez scored from third on a balk. Wenatchee was just getting started as its next four batters all reached base with two outs. Trent Liolios doubled to left-center and Sebastian David drew a walk before Frankie Carney singled in Liolios and Carson Ohland doubled in David and Carney to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

Wenatchee (32-12, 12-4 second half) remains first place in the North Division in the second half while also still holding the best record in the West Coast League. Though the AppleSox lost, the Victoria HarbourCats and Kelowna Falcons also did to remain two games and three games back, respectively, with 10 games remaining in the regular season.