APPLESOX WIN SERIES, LIFTED BY HAGGETT

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The AppleSox won a WCL East series for the first time, Wednesday.

The AppleSox won a WCL East series for the first time, Wednesday.

WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (17-20, 14-19) won 6-4 Wednesday, and took the first series of two-consecutive against the Kelowna Falcons (23-11, 22-11) at Paul Thomas Sr. Field.

The AppleSox scored first in the first inning, on a Keston Hiura RBI double. Hiura has been hitting over .500 over the last five games.

Zach Haggett (4-1) was outstanding for the AppleSox, Wednesday. He started the game by retiring the first seven batters he faced. Wade Gulden broke up the seven-consecutive retired with the first single of the game. The Falcons would only get one more hit off of Haggett over 7 2/3 innings. Max Carter singled in the fifth inning for the other hit.

Haggett received more run support from his club in the sixth inning, when Joel Lamont (3-1) walked two batters ahead of Evan Douglas. He promptly homered over the wall in right field to give Wenatchee a 4-0 lead. It was Douglas’ seventh home run of the summer.

Wenatchee added two in the seventh on an RBI double for Keston Hiura – his second of the game – and a wild pitch scored Wenatchee’s sixth run.

Three walks got Haggett into trouble in the eighth inning. He left the game with 120 pitches thrown, and a run came home to score on a wild pitch from Tony Contonio out of the bullpen. The run – charged to Haggett – ended a streak of 25 consecutive scoreless innings for the right-hander.

Contonio got a strikeout to end the inning, but was in trouble in the ninth inning after giving up back-to-back solo home runs to Hunter Villanueva and Justin Flores. A walk of Max Carter, and another of Vinny Esposito, forced the AppleSox to turn to Brian Gadsby, with the score 6-3. An infield single got Kelowna its fourth run, but Gadsby struck out the next batter looking to end the game with the tying run aboard.

Gadsby earned his second save of the season.

Kelowna’s loss marked the first time they’ve lost the third game of a series this season, and broke up eight-consecutive series won for the Falcons (seven in game three).

The two teams will now take their battle north to British Columbia and face off in Kelowna. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and AppleSox All Star Hunter Wells is scheduled to take to the mound.

WP: Zach Haggett (4-1)
LP: Joel Lamont (3-1)
S: Brian Gadsby (2)