Lights-Out Long Leads AppleSox to Victory

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June 18 final score.jpg

PORT ANGELES, WA – Ryan Long struck out nine batters across seven shutout innings and the AppleSox defeated the Port Angeles Lefties, 7-3, on Tuesday night at Civic Field.

Long, an incoming junior at Pomona-Pitzer, did not walk any batters and allowed just four hits to stymie the potent Port Angeles offense. The Lefties entered Tuesday night tops in the West Coast League in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Cole McKenzie, one game removed from snapping his eight-game hitting streak, collected three hits and three runs as a part of a 3-for-5 night at the plate. The incoming senior at Purdue doubled and singled twice.

It was McKenzie who scored the first run for the Sox as he singled with two outs in the first, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then scored on an RBI single by Hunter Montgomery. The Sox added another run in the second when Quinn Ayers and Dylan Ohlsen both singled with one out. A wild pitch moved both up 90 feet and Ayers scored on a sacrifice fly by Kodie Kolden.

In the third, the Sox erupted for a three-run inning. Each of the first three batters reached with base-hits and scored. Johnny Graham doubled then McKenzie and Montgomery singled and Graham scored on an error by Lefties’ centerfielder Ethan Groff. McKenzie scored on an RBI single by Ryan Altenberger with one out, then, during a double-steal attempt, Montgomery stole home as Port Angeles tried, but failed, to catch Altenberger at second.

The Sox didn’t score again for the next three innings, but tacked on two more in the seventh. McKenzie doubled and scored two batters later when McPhillips singled him in and with two outs, Ayers played McPhillips with a single.

Port Angeles struck twice in the eighth with Long out of the ballgame and again for one run in the ninth.

The Sox picked up their first road win of the 2019 season and now look to take the series on Wednesday night at 6:35. Henrik Reinertsen will toe the rubber for Wenatchee against Dwayne Angebrandt of Port Angeles.