SCHWARTZ AND GOMEZ LEAD SOX TO WIN AGAINST HARBOURCATS

WENATCHEE, Wash. – Behind a 3-for-4 night from J.T. Schwartz and stellar pitching by Alec Gomez, the Wenatchee AppleSox (24-26, 13-11 second half) won their fifth consecutive series with a 5-2 triumph over the Victoria HarbourCats on Saturday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Schwartz reached in all four plate appearances and his three-run homer in the sixth was the difference as the Sox won for the 10th time in their last 13 games. Gomez (2-0) set two season highs with seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts.

Yakima Valley lost for the fourth consecutive time on Saturday night, meaning that the AppleSox are now a game-and-a-half out of first place in the North division for the second half.

After the HarbourCats got the game’s first run in the second thanks to an error and two wild pitches, the Sox answered in the fifth. Schwartz led off with a single and moved to third thanks to a wild pitch and a deep fly out. Brayden Hamilton picked up his first RBI of the season by reaching on an infield single to plate Schwartz.

The next inning, the Sox scored four runs to take the lead. With one out, Mason Marenco reached on a two-base throwing error by the pitcher. Connor McCord singled to center to score Marenco and give the AppleSox the lead. After Jacob Prater walked, Schwartz connected on his third home run of the season, a three-run shot to right.

The Sox have now scored 44 runs in the sixth inning this season. That is their most of any inning this summer.

The HarbourCats got a run back in the seventh, but Brian Marquez faced the minimum, in part thanks to a pair of double plays, and picked up the two-inning save.

The Sox will go for their first sweep of the season when they face the HarbourCats in the home finale on Sunday at 6:05 p.m.

Full boxscore: http://westcoast.wttbaseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=445051