Sox Drop Series Opener to Elks

WENATCHEE, WA - The AppleSox fell to the Bend Elks, 4-2, in the first game of the second half of the the West Coast League season on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Playing the Elks for the fourth consecutive game, the Sox gave up the first three runs of the game before getting on the board.

Johnny Sage reached base in all four of his plate appearances and Brett Garcia tossed two scoreless innings, but it wasn’t enough.

After Bend scored once in the third and twice in the fifth, the Sox answered in the bottom of the fifth. Dylan McPhillips walked to open the inning and then Kodie Kolden and Sage singled and walked, respectively. Cole McKenzie was hit by a pitch to score the Sox’ first run of the game, but they would strand the bases loaded.

Bend regained a three-run lead with a run in the top of the seventh, but the AppleSox quickly cut the deficit to two again. Sage and McKenzie singled and doubled with one out, then Dalton Harum grounded out to first, but as McKenzie got caught between second and third, Sage scored before McKenzie was tagged out to end the inning.

The Sox look to do what they did against the Elks this past weekend and take the final two games of the series. First pitch on Wednesday night is at 6:35.

Full boxscore: http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=501884

Listen to Joel Norman’s interview with head coach Kyle Krustangel below.