Grand Performance Leads Pippins Over Sox

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – Vince Fernandez's WCL record-setting tenth home run, gave the Yakima Valley Pippins (35-19) a win to cap their season, 4-1 over the Wenatchee AppleSox (34-25, 30-24). To make things sweeter for the Pippins, the home run was a grand slam.

With the granny in the seventh inning, Fernandez also broke the WCL single-season record for RBIs (new mark: 51).

The AppleSox drew first blood on Sunday. Michael McCann was able to sacrifice home a run on a bunt, following three leadoff singles by the AppleSox lineup.

Wenatchee would be stifled from that point on, as Gabe Gentner, Mitch Yada, Connor Lau, and Justin Jacobs would combine to hold Wenatchee to just two more hits. The AppleSox were retired in order for the final third of Sunday’s contest.

Fernandez gave the Pippins all they needed in the seventh, as he hit the grand slam off of Hunter Wells. The bases were loaded on a Harrison Ramey walk and a Justin Jacobs single, coupled with a Kyle Thomson bunt single.

The AppleSox end the year at 30-24, and while head coach will miss the playoffs for just the second time in his AppleSox coaching career (and first time in WCL play), he still has tallied a winning season in each of his fourteen seasons as skipper of the Sox.

Knaggs’ career coaching record as the AppleSox head man is 496-274.

Wenatchee’s players said their goodbyes for the summer during Sunday’s postgame. Most will return home or to their colleges on Monday or Tuesday.

The AppleSox would like to thank all of their fans, host families, personnel, sponsors, and the local and national baseball community for another great season of AppleSox baseball.

The 2015 baseball season and the chance to once again, “Celebrate summer one inning at a time,” can’t come soon enough!

 

YAK    0 0 0  0 0 0   4 0 0      4  11  1  

WEN   1 0 0  0 0 0   0 0 0      1   5   2

 

WP – Mitch Yada

LP – Hunter Wells

S –

Pippins Extinguish AppleSox Playoff Hopes

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WENATCHEE, Wash. –  For the first time in twelve years, the Wenatchee AppleSox (34-24, 30-23), will not be headed to the postseason, as the Yakima Valley Pippins (34-19), extinguished the final playoff flame for Wenatchee with a 7-6 win in ten innings on Saturday.

The Pippins jumped out to a first inning lead, Saturday, as Shawn Wardian and Mitch Skaggs combined for the opening run on two singles and the Skaggs RBI.

In the third, AppleSox starting pitcher Tyler Frost helped out his cause and evened the score at one, with a big solo home run to right field.

It was Vince Fernandez that ended up stealing the home run show on Saturday, though. Fernandez sent a two-run home run over the center field wall for his eighth of the season.

He wasn’t done, as he’d rise up for an encore in the sixth with a solo shot to dead center for a 5-4 Pippins lead. The second tie-breaking home run was his ninth on the year and it ties the WCL single season record for most home runs in a summer.

The AppleSox previously evened the score at four in the home half of the fifth, as a Sam Brown 2-RBI single and a Ty Jackson RBI ground out gave the AppleSox three runs.

In the seventh, the AppleSox took back the lead in the see-saw battle, as two runs came home to score on a Michael McCann bunt single and subsequent throwing error to first.

The AppleSox would be done scoring though, as the Bend-Klamath Falls score went final. With the Elks beating the Gems 10-2, the AppleSox knew they had to beat Yakima Valley to keep a final night of playoff hopes alive.

Yakima Valley would douse those hopes in the eighth inning, as a Ryan Yamane sacrifice fly brought in the tying run.

The 6-6 tie would hold until the tenth inning, when Yamane brought in another run on a second sacrifice fly, again to left field.

The AppleSox went quietly, one-two-three in the bottom of the tenth as Kenny Rosenberg completed his win.

With the loss and the Bend win, Bend will face Bellingham in the divisional playoffs and Corvallis will take on Yakima Valley. The AppleSox will miss the postseason for the first time in WCL history and the first time in the last twelve years.

The AppleSox conclude their season with “Community Appreciation Day,” Sunday. Host families and the best fans in the WCL will be at Paul Thomas Sr. Field for the final 2014 showing for the Boys of Summer.

First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and Brandon Bailey will take the mound for the AppleSox.

 

YAK    1 0 0  2 1 1   0 1 0   1     7  9  4  

WEN   0 0 1  0 3 0   2 0 0   0     6  8  1

 

WP – Kenny Rosenberg

LP – Nathan Hadley

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Late Inning Heroics Help Even Wild Card Race

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – For the second straight night, Ty Jackson provided a go-ahead RBI for the Wenatchee AppleSox (34-23, 30-22), but this time it was in the eighth inning instead of extras. The AppleSox went on to beat the Yakima Valley Pippins (33-19), 8-6 to even the WCL Wild Card race.

The Pippins were red hot coming into Friday night’s match up. Riding a ten game win streak, Sam Brown knew the perfect way to cool off Yakima Valley. He lasered a two run home run just over the top of the right field wall for a 2-0, AppleSox lead.

Wenatchee added one in the second on a bases loaded walk, as Pippins starter Matt Trask began to fall behind.

In the fourth inning, Yakima Valley pushed across their first run of the game. A Vince Fernandez single, with a runner at second, brought Mitch Skaggs home from second.

The AppleSox promptly answered as Sam Brown singled home another AppleSox run, with Saturday’s starter, Tyler Frost, coming across to score one of his three runs in the game.

Yakima Valley came back with one more in the top of the fifth and evened the game in the bottom of the sixth off of Travis Cook, as Clark McKitrick’s base runners came around to score, following two one-two-three innings for the southpaw.

A Troy LaBrie 2 RBI single, evened the contest at 6.

The AppleSox made their final push in the bottom of the eighth, as the score of the Bend-Klamath Falls game went final.

Klamath Falls needs to beat Bend twice, paired with an AppleSox sweep, in order to earn Wenatchee the wild card.

Brown walked and reached second on a great read of a wild pitch in the dirt. Jackson then singled Brown home from second on a knock back up the middle. A double for McCann scored Jackson and gave the AppleSox an 8-6 lead.

Travis Cook held on in the ninth, allowing just a single (however, it was almost robbed by Brown, who attempted a diving catch in left center). He followed the base hit up with a strikeout swinging and a ground out to second.

With the win, the AppleSox drew even with Bend record-wise. The AppleSox now just need to overtake Bend by one game in order to win the wild card. The easiest way to accomplish the task is by winning their final two and having Bend drop one of their last two.

The AppleSox will face off with Yakima in a big Saturday night contest with a first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Frost will take the mound for Wenatchee.

 

YAK    0 0 0  1 1 0   0 4 0   6  8  2  

WEN   2 1 0  1 0 2   0 2 x   8 12 1

 

WP – Travis Cook

LP – Austin Hansen

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Final Regular Season Home Series and Playoff Outlook

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AppleSox Welcome WCL East Division Champs to Wenatchee for Final Regular Season Home Series

The AppleSox have three regular season games left on the schedule. The Yakima Valley Pippins will travel to Wenatchee for the third series meeting between the two clubs.

With weather looking to be excellent this weekend, and the AppleSox trying to make a run at the final spot in the playoffs, this is sure to be an exciting series!

First pitch for Friday and Saturday's games are set for 7:05 p.m. Sunday's game has an expected first pitch of 6:05 p.m.

Movie Night at the Ballpark Presented by Country Financial

You can join the AppleSox for an old-fashioned night of baseball and cinema. The AppleSox will take on the Yakima Valley Pippins, Friday.

Following the game, fans are invited to stick around and grab a seat on the field for the showing of a family-friendly classic (we don't want to spoil the surprise!).

First pitch is at 7:05 p.m., with the movie following shortly after the final out.

Wenatchee Valley Mall Night

Do you love the Wenatchee Valley Mall as much as the AppleSox do? Boy do we have great news for you!

Wenatchee Valley Mall is sponsoring the AppleSox final Saturday night contest of the season!

There are certain to be great giveaway items as the AppleSox take on the Yakima Valley Pippins! We can't wait to see you at the ballpark!

Community Appreciation Day

On Sunday, the AppleSox salute the Wenatchee Valley in their final regular season home game in 2014.

The Wenatchee Business Journal is a proud sponsor of the night and they've teamed up with United Way and its member agencies to celebrate a night of baseball in the Wenatchee Valley.

Also, there will be special recognition for our host families on-field prior to the final game as the AppleSox will wrap up their series with Yakima.

We have the best environment for baseball in the WCL and that is thanks to our fans, host families, and players. We can't wait to celebrate another nine innings of AppleSox Baseball with you, Sunday

Playoff Scenarios

Once again, the AppleSox are in a heated race down the stretch to try to make the playoffs.

Currently, all three divisions in the West Coast League have been won.

Bellingham will represent the West, Corvallis from the South, and Yakima Valley in the WCL East.

The AppleSox are locked in a playoff spot battle with the Bend Elks as both teams look to take the final Wild Card spot.

Wenatchee is a game back of Bend, but must fully overtake the Elks to earn the playoff spot.

 

With three games left, and Bend playing Klamath Falls, this means there are two scenarios that can earn the AppleSox the Wild Card spot:

  1. Wenatchee sweeps (wins all three) against Yakima and Bend loses two of three against Klamath Falls.

      2. Wenatchee wins two of three against Yakima and Bend loses all three to Klamath Falls.

If Wenatchee wins the Wild Card, they would advance to take on Bellingham in a Divisional series, with the first of the three games being played at Paul Thomas Sr. Field on August 12th. Corvallis and Yakima Valley would meet in the other Divisional series and Bellingham just needs one additional win in their final three games to secure home-field advantage.

Pitching Prevails in Extras

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KELOWNA, BC. – On Thursday night, pitching took center (or shall we say centre) stage at Elks Stadium in the Wenatchee AppleSox (33-23, 29-22) final Canadian outing. In ten innings, they eventually took down the Kelowna Falcons (15-36) 6-2, for the series sweep.

Wenatchee was led by their starter Calvin LeBrun, who saved his longest start of his summer for his last, going seven innings and only allowing three hits to Kelowna.

LeBrun was backed up by Hunter Wells, who offered up three innings of one-hit relief and was made to be the winner in extra innings.

LeBrun had seven strikeouts on Thursday which was also a single-game high for the southpaw on the season. He tallied one-two-three innings in the first, fourth, and sixth innings. He left the game in a 2-2 tie.

The AppleSox would get their first of a regulation two runs on a Ty Jackson RBI single in the first inning, scoring Evan Cassolato.

The second run for Wenatchee was earned in the third inning, as Tyler Frost got to third on a one-out triple and was sacrificed home by Cassolato. The triple was the AppleSox only extra base hit on the day.

Kelowna’s scoring came in the third and fifth innings. In the third, a double by Colton Waltner, a catcher turned second baseman on Thursday, was good for the Falcons’ first run. Waltner made several fantastic defensive plays in the field as well.

In the fifth, Kelowna played small ball as a leadoff walk allowed Anthony Gosline on base. A sacrifice by Tommy Lane got him to second and with one out he advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Ryo Shishido helped create a sacrifice suicide squeeze that scored Gosline to even the game at two. Despite the run, LeBrun allowed no hits in the inning. He held Kelowna hitless in the fourth through seventh innings.

Hunter Wells took over and offered up a one-two-three seventh, while Kelowna starter Josh Nuernberg was just finishing up his seven and a third innings.

Nuernberg only allowed the two Wenatchee runs on three hits.

The Falcons’ best chance to win the game came in the bottom of the ninth as they worked the bases loaded with one out. Unfortunately, a squeeze attempt  was bare-handed in front of the mound by Wells, who intelligently went home for the force at the plate and Michael McCann doubled up the batter at first.

That paved the way for extra innings, and for the second straight night Wenatchee would waste no time getting on the board in the tenth. Jackson hit an RBI single to center field for the 3-2 lead with two outs. The AppleSox would add three more in the inning.

Hunter Wells secured his own win in the bottom of the tenth as he plowed one-two-three through the Falcons to conclude the AppleSox road season in 2014.

For the second time in 2014, the AppleSox swept a divisional opponent on the road, a feat the team hadn’t previously accomplished since 2012.

The final series of the season starts tonight for Wenatchee. The WCL East Champion Yakima Valley Pippins come to town and the AppleSox have a chance to finalize their already winning-

season record against the Pippins. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

 

WEN   1 0 1  0 0 0   0 0 0   4    6 10 0  

KEL    0 0 1  0 1 0   0 0 0   0    2  4  2

 

WP – Hunter Wells

LP – Michael Gould

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Improbable Comeback Keeps AppleSox in Wild Card Race

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KELOWNA, BC. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (32-23, 28-22) outscored the Kelowna Falcons (15-35) 14-1 in the final seven innings of Wednesday’s game, en route to a 15-8 win in 10 innings at Elks Stadium in  Kelowna, B.C.

Kelowna scored first in the bottom of the first inning, as Ryo Shishido came around to score on a FC play on the infield, in which the AppleSox couldn’t quite turn a double play.

Wenatchee answered with a run in the top of the second as Nick Brooks doubled to right center field to score AJ Alcantara from first base.

Brooks would have three hits in the game. All three were doubles.

A six run bottom of the third inning for Kelowna chased AppleSox starter, Ian Buckles from the ball game. Buckles gave up seven earned runs on Wednesday; his highest mark on  the season. He was also struck in the left knee by a line drive in the second at bat of the game.

Nathan Hadley entered in relief for Wenatchee and surrendered one more run in the bottom of the sixth.

Wenatchee got a good margin of runs back in the fourth inning as Kyle Vanderkin gapped a bases loaded double to clear the bases and complete a four-run frame for the AppleSox.

The AppleSox added one more in the fifth and another in the eighth and ninth innings. In the ninth, Wenatchee pulled off a successful suicide squeeze play to tie the game. While the pitcher threw on to first base, Alcantara tried to sneak home for the AppleSox, but was gunned down at the plate by Kelowna’s first baseman.

Shaun Vetrovec offered up four innings out of the AppleSox bullpen and retired the side one-two-three in three of those four innings. He didn’t give up a hit and he tallied seven of the game’s ten total strikeouts. He walked just one batter.

In the tenth, Wenatchee was able to secure a win for Vetrovec as a two run single for Vanderkin gave the AppleSox a 10-8 lead. Wenatchee would pile on five more after the single and send 11 batters to the plate in the mammoth inning.

Vetrovec retired the side one-two-three in the bottom of the tenth to secure the AppleSox win.

Yakima Valley won on Wednesday, guaranteeing them the WCL East title. Wenatchee now must play for the wild card spot. If the AppleSox win out this season, Bend must lose two of their final four games for Wenatchee to make the playoffs.

A chance for the AppleSox to sweep comes tonight as Calvin LeBrun takes the mound for the AppleSox at 6:35 p.m. from Elks Stadium.

 

WEN   0 1 0  4 1 0   0 1 1   7   15 15  0  

KEL    1 0 6  0 0 1   0 0 0   0    8  15  3

 

WP – Shaun Vetrovec

LP – Brett Solano

S –

Falcons Fall in Sox 4th Shutout

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KELOWNA, BC. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (31-23, 27-22) posted their fourth shutout of 2014, Tuesday, in an 11-0 win over the Kelowna Falcons (15-34). With it, they are now two games back from overtaking Bend for the Wild Card playoff spot.

For the first four innings, Tuesday, Jeremy Newton and Brandon Bailey went toe-to-toe. It was hard to believe that after a scoreless first four innings, either team would score in double digits, but Wenatchee would change that; busting the game wide open in the middle third.

A Kyle Vanderkin walk and a Cole Kreuter single set up a Cooper Elliott sacrifice bunt that resulted in an infield single.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Tyler Frost singled home a run. Evan Cassolato followed with an RBI walk, then Sam Brown singled, and Ty Jackson and Michael McCann offered up sacrifice fly outs to complete a six run fifth inning.

Brandon Bailey only allowed three hits through his first four innings. Over that time he also struck out three batters and didn’t walk any. His reliever, Colton Loomis, started his appearance off with a walk in the fifth, but would soon turn to gold.

Loomis retired the next three and had two more one-two-three innings left in him in the eighth and ninth frames. He allowed two hits in total and gave Wenatchee five strong innings out of the bullpen in the winning effort.

Newton was again hit hard by the AppleSox in the sixth, which set up Cooper Elliott for another sacrifice situation. Elliott went 3-4 for Wenatchee, Tuesday. It was his second consecutive three-hit game for the AppleSox.

Four runs in the sixth and one in the seventh capped an 11-0 lead for the AppleSox. Wenatchee tallied 17 hits on Tuesday, continuing to pile on to their WCL leading total.

The Bend Elks lost, placing Wenatchee an official one game back in the Wild Card (Wenatchee is technically two games back though, because they must overtake the Elks to claim the Wild Card spot [tie-breaker is owned by Bend]).

Yakima Valley won and can take the WCL East crown with a win, Wednesday in their series finale vs. Cowlitz.

The AppleSox will turn to Ian Buckles in game two of their series with Kelowna, which starts at 6:35 p.m., Wednesday.

 

WEN   0 0 0  0 6 4   1 0 0    11 17 1

KEL    0 0 0  0 0 0   0 0 0     0   5  2

 

WP – Colton Loomis

LP – Jeremy Newton

S –

Good at Game Three

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (30-23, 26-22) took down the Cowlitz Black Bears (22-26) for a ninth rubber match game three series win on Sunday. With the 9-4 win, the AppleSox are also now 7-0 on Sunday.

The AppleSox again saw Cowlitz score first, just as they did a night before. A walk and a stolen base, coupled with a throwing error from Michael McCann, allowed Kort Peterson to third base. A ground out by Taylor Bryant put Cowlitz on the board first.

The AppleSox scored in the bottom of the first as AJ Alcantara doubled with two outs to right center field and Ty Jackson singled him home for the tying run.

The AppleSox scored six of their nine runs with two outs on Sunday.

In the second the AppleSox added a run, as Sam Brown doubled home Nate Esposito. Esposito went 2-5 and scored two runs for Wenatchee.

The fifth inning was a game-changer for Wenatchee as they continued to back their starter, Tyler Frost. After the first inning run, Frost rebounded for two one-two-three innings and 41 pitches to get the AppleSox to the end of the fifth with a 6-1 lead.

The four runs in the fifth for the AppleSox came around in a messy inning. A leadoff double for Cole Kreuter started the frame. Sam Brown then singled and a Trenton Brooks fielders’ choice resulted in Brown being thrown out at second. This was achieved after Brooks hit a line drive off of Cowlitz starter Kohl Hostert.

After Hostert was hit, an error in right field resulted in a run. Then singles for McCann and Esposito along with a double from Elliott helped the AppleSox to four runs.

Elliott would go on to hit two doubles on Sunday and go 3-3.

Eight of the nine AppleSox starters recorded a hit Sunday. Elliott was the only starter with three.

Tyler Frost lasted five innings as the starter, on shortened rest, giving up one earned run on five hits. Hunter Wells and Clark McKitrick relieved him.

Wells gave up three runs to Cowlitz in the eighth, but Wenatchee would hang on as McKitrick stranded the bases loaded in the top of the eighth; ending the game with a strikeout.

 

COW   1 0 0  0 0 0   0 3 0    4  8  1

WEN   1 1 0  0 4 0   3 0 x    9 14 2

 

WP – Tyler Frost

LP – Kohl Hostert

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Lightning Strikes Twice

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WENATCHEE, Wash. – Lightning delayed Saturday night’s contest between the Wenatchee AppleSox (29-23, 25-22) and the Cowlitz Black Bears (22-25), and once the game got going, metaphorical lightning would strike again as the AppleSox couldn’t hold on in extra innings, losing 7-4.

After a 42 minute weather delay and a spectacular display of lightning, Saturday’s game was finally ready to start.

The AppleSox didn’t look so steady at the start, as a leadoff infield single and a throwing error for Kort Peterson, placed the Cowlitz runner at second base with no one out. He came around to score on a wild pitch.

Wenatchee was able to answer in the bottom half of the first as Ty Jackson singled home Tyler Frost for a 1-1 tie.

In the third, Cowlitz would break the tie as Daniel Orr hot a two-run home run off of Drew Rasmussen to right center field.

Cowlitz would hold their 3-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning, after JJ Franklin entered the game for Cowlitz starter Reza Aleaziz.

In that inning Jackson would double home Sam Brown to cut the defecit to 3-2. Jackson later came around to score from third on a wild pitch.

The second RBI capped Jackson’s, 3-5, 2 RBI night.

Nick Brooks would single home Kyle Vanderkin later in the inning for the 4-3, AppleSox lead.

In the eighth inning John Pomeroy was on the mound for the AppleSox. After a one-two-three seventh, Pomeroy ran into some trouble.

A two-out RBI single that just bounced over the head of Joe Gillette , was could to score Peterson to tie the game at four.

The score would hold there as Trenton Brooks looked to have brought his A-game to the park.

The AppleSox had a chance to force a double play in the top of the eleventh, but a throw from second to short got away from the AppleSox, and into left field, scoring the go-ahead run for Cowlitz.

Two more runs were added in the top of the eleventh and the AppleSox had no answer.

Wenatchee went down one-two-three in the bottom of  the eleventh and Joe Reta finalized his win.

 

 

COW   1 0 2  0 0 0   0 1 0   0 3    7  9  1

WEN   1 0 0  0 0 3   0 0 0   0 0    4  8  4

 

WP – Joe Reta

LP – Trenton Brooks

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