SLUGFEST GOES TO APPLESOX, WINNERS OF THREE-STRAIGHT

The AppleSox exploded for season-highs in hits, runs, and extra-bases, on the way to a third-consecutive win Thursday, at Elks Stadium in British Columbia.

KELOWNA, B.C. – The Wenatchee AppleSox (18-20, 15-19) exploded for 19 hits in a 13-9 win over the Kelowna Falcons (23-12, 22-12), Thursday, at Elks Stadium.

The AppleSox 13 runs and 19 hits each were a new single game high. The AppleSox also hit eight exra-base hits, which trumped their previous season high, set back in June against the Corvallis Knights.

The night started with a tough first inning, in which all nine Kelowna batters came to the plate to face Hunter Wells (5-1). Wells surrendered three runs on two hits and walked three batters in the inning. He would finish after five innings with six walks, and also gave up single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Wenatchee started its scoring in the second inning, when a runner came to score on an error on the left side of the infield, and Joey Jansen hit the first of four RBI on the night.

In total, Jansen was 4-for-6 and also scored a run. The AppleSox had eight-of-nine batters collect a hit, and seven-of-nine had at least two hits.

An additional three runs were scored in the fourth inning on an RBI single for Drew Helmstadter and two RBI doubles – one for Keaton Smith, and another for Keston Hiura. Hiura collected his fifth-consecutive multi-hit night, and Smith went on to go 2-for-6 with both of his hits, RBI doubles.

In the fifth, Nick Nyquist’s second hit of the game resulted in a sixth run for the AppleSox. Helmstadter also knocked in a 2-RBI double, and Jansen collected the second of his 4 RBI.

Helmstadter was 2-for-5 on the night, with 3 RBI - a new personal-best in single game RBI for the AppleSox, this year.

Scoring was simplified in the sixth inning when Mitchell Holland went deep for his third home run of the season. The shot was of the solo variety to left field, and gave Wenatchee a 10-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Dustin Hamilton took over at that point and nearly gave up the lead in a difficult outing. Four runs scored in the sixth inning and nine batters came to the plate, like the first inning.

AJ Proszek was ejected in the inning, disputing balls and strikes, after a borderline ball call by the home plate umpire during a pivotal at bat of the frame.

Kyle Blankenship pitched the seventh and eighth innings and dialed up a double-play ball twice, to get out of trouble. One was 6-4-3 in the seventh, and the other 5-4-3 in the eighth.

Sean Sparling retired the side in order in the ninth, after his guys scored three more runs in the final three innings for the 13-9 win.

With the win, the AppleSox have taken three-straight from Kelowna, and 3-of-4 on the season. The Sox picked up a game on all teams in the WCL East, who each lost last night.

Tonight is game two (five-of-six consecutive) and Brian Gadsby will make a spot start for the AppleSox, who are low on available arms. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. from Elks Stadium.

WP: Hunter Wells (5-1)
LP: Dalton Blackwell (0-1)