BAFUS STELLAR AGAIN, BUT SOX FALL TO PIPPINS

YAKIMA, Wash. – A late rally carried the Yakima Valley Pippins to a 5-4 victory over the Wenatchee AppleSox (14-23, 3-8 second half) on Saturday night at Yakima County Stadium.

The Pippins scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to go from a run down to up three runs and take the series-opener with the AppleSox and win their eighth straight game.

Curtis Bafus turned in his sixth consecutive quality start, but picked up a no decision for the first time this season. The right-hander from Virginia Commonwealth University struck out eight and only allowed one unearned run on three hits over seven innings. However, the Sox could not rally to get him a victory.

The AppleSox opened the scoring in the top of the first inning by striking first for the first time in their last four games. Isaac Barrera began the game with a walk and Evan Williams singled to put runners at first and second.

With one out, Connor McCord hit a bloop single to center that put runners at first and third with one out because Williams was thrown out at second. Mason Marenco, first-pitch-swinging, singled to left field to plate Barrera and give the Sox the early lead.

Neither team scored again for the next four innings until the Pippins tied it up in the bottom of the fifth. The deadlocked game would last until the top of the eighth when Marenco reached on an error and score four batters later on an RBI single to right by Dawson Day.

With the score 2-1 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Pippins sent nine men to the plate and rallied to take the lead by drawing three walks and using an error.

In the top of the ninth, McCord drilled a two-run homer to right to cut the deficit to one, but it was as close as the Sox would get.

Game Two of the weekend set takes place at 6:05 p.m. on Sunday night.

Full boxscore: http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=445020