Vanderkin Sparks Sox Comeback Win

The AppleSox used two hits, both doubles, and good pitching to win game two and set up the chance for an important series sweep, Sunday.

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Wenatchee AppleSox (22-23, 19-22), utilized just two hits to take down the Yakima Valley Pippins (23-20, 21-20), Saturday night, by a score of 4-2 at Paul Thomas Sr. Field. 

The two hits were both doubles, and gave the AppleSox their season-high fourth-consecutive home win, and third-straight win, overall. 

The Pippins and AppleSox both had slow nights offensively, with either side's pitching staff reigning supreme in the second game of the series. 

Micael Taylor (2-4), started with four scoreless innings for Wenatchee, giving up just three hits over the stretch on 45 pitches. 

Jens Jensen (4-1), held Wenatchee to just one run through five innings, with the first run scoring on a groundout to second base by Kyle Vanderkin in the second inning. Mitchell Holland scored on the play after doubling to lead of the inning. 

In the fifth inning, a Jace Van DeBrake single scored the Pippins first run, despite a great attempt by the AppleSox at a double play. The throw to first base to try and complete the double play was ruled just late. It would've ended the half inning, without a run scoring, had it been on time. 

Yakima scored its only other run in the sixth inning after Josh Nashed hit an RBI triple to score Reid Martinez. 

In the home half of the sixth inning, Jensen ran into his first real trouble. After retiring the first two men in the bottom half, he walked a batter, hit another by pitch, and walked a second man to load the bases for Vanderkin. 

In a nine-pitch at bat, Vanderkin fouled off three two strike pitches, and saw two balls to work a 1-2 count, full at 3-2. With the runners getting a head start, Vanderkin laced a double down the right field line to plate all three runs, giving Wenatchee a 4-2 lead. 

The AppleSox never looked back. Taylor tossed a 1-2-3 seventh, and Brian Gadsby closed the door out of the bullpen to earn his third save of the summer. The game ended on a 6-4-3 double play, after the Pippins got the tying run to the plate in the ninth with one out. 

Notably, Keston Hiura extended his consecutive games reached base streak to 28, but did have his 11-game hitting streak snapped. 

Wenatchee is now winners of four of its last five games, and has won four-consecutive at home, dating back to a July 15 win vs. Kelowna. With a Corvallis win, Saturday, the AppleSox remain three games off the Wild Card lead.

The chance for a sweep comes at 6:05 p.m. tonight, and it's another Spaghetti Sunday at the ballpark! Gage Burland (2-0) will start for the AppleSox.

WP: Micael Taylor (2-4)
LP: Jens Jensen (4-1)
S: Brian Gadsby (3)