APPLESOX FALL 5-3, EARN SERIES WIN OVER VICTORIA

/
Photo by: alyssa taylor

Photo by: alyssa taylor

WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (4-5) long six-game stretch against the Victoria HarbourCats (5-5) is finally over, after the HarbourCats salvaged game three of Wenatchee’s home series, Saturday night by a score of 5-3 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Jake Garella drove in four of the HarbourCats’ five runs with one swing of the bat in the second inning. His first home run of the season, was a Grand Slam over the right field wall, to give Victoria an early 4-0 lead.

Wenatchee’s starter, Gerald Hein (0-1) settled in nicely after the big fly in the second. Outside of the four hits he allowed in that inning, Hein only gave up two more through seven frames.

Victoria’s starter, Ethan Fox (no-decision), was also stout. He was facing the AppleSox for a second time in the six-game stretch, after allowing four runs his first time out against the AppleSox up in Victoria on the HarbourCats’ home-opening night.

Fox only allowed one hit in the first three innings, and the AppleSox didn’t reach him until the fourth, after leadoff singles in the inning by Evan Johnson and Jalen Garcia. A passed ball set the pair of runners up to score on RBI groundouts for Joel Condreay and Cole McKenzie.

In the fifth, trailing 4-2, Wenatchee squandered the first of two big spots on the night. With the bases loaded, Wenatchee couldn’t cash in. A flyout to right field, after an intentional walk of Johnson left the score at 4-2. Luke Boyd (1-0) got the flyout and earned the win for Victoria over 2 2/3 innings.

The AppleSox had another shot in the seventh down 4-2. With the bases loaded, Condreay came to the plate to face inserted reliever AJ Block, who was the winning pitcher in the HarbourCats’ only win over the AppleSox up in Victoria. Block walked Condreay with the bags full to make it 4-3, but recovered with a strikeout to keep Victoria ahead.

Wenatchee went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base.

Steen Fredrickson pitched the last two innings, allowing a run after Bryce Bonner collected his third hit of the night for the HarbourCats, in the ninth. Bonner stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch.

The AppleSox were put down in order in their half of the ninth by Travis Kuhn, who earned a two-inning save.

The AppleSox stay at home as part of a six-game homestand, and face the Yakima Valley Pippins (3-3) at 6:05 p.m. It is the first Spaghetti Sunday of the season. When gates open at 5 p.m., up until first pitch at 6:05 p.m., fans can purchase a heaping plate of spaghetti from the Alley Café, complete with a slice of garlic bread, for $7.50. Collin Maier (1-0) will get the start for Wenatchee.