MILLER'S STRONG START LEADS APPLESOX TO OPENING NIGHT WIN

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VICTORIA, B.C. - The Wenatchee AppleSox (1-0) opened the 2018 season with a 2-1 victory over the Victoria HarbourCats (0-1) on Opening Night of the 2018 West Coast League season. Grady Miller tossed six shutout innings and the AppleSox scored both of their runs in the fourth inning to pick up the victory at Royal Athletic Park.

Miller, using a heavy fastball and changeup diet of pitches, struck out three batters and only allowed two hits over his six innings of work to pick up the victory. 

The AppleSox struck in the fourth when the first three batters of the inning all reached base. Cory Meyer led off with a walk and scored two pitches later on an RBI double by Mason Moreno. Moreno's two-bagger was the only run-scoring base hit of the evening. 

Following Moreno's knock, Nolan McCaffery singled to put runners at first and third. During Joey Magro's at-bat, McCafferty took off for second and once Moreno saw the throw going towards second, he took off for home. Both runners were safe on the double-steal and it proved to be the difference in the game. 

Victoria scored its only run on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, but could not even the game up. The HarbourCats stranded seven runs in the game, and at least one in all but three innings.

Steen Fredrickson struck out two batters in a clean 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season.

The AppleSox and HarbourCats will meet up again on Saturday with Curtis Bafus and Garrett Goodall, respectively, toeing the rubber.  First pitch is set for 6:35 at Royal Athletic Park.