Wenatchee Trying to Finish Off Port Angeles
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The Wenatchee AppleSox are looking to close out Port Angeles for a clean 3-game set tonight at 6:35 in Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.
The AppleSox got their third home series victory last night in walkoff fashion, 5-4. After Adam Grob reached base on an error in the ninth, pinch hitter Collin Villegas smashed a game-tying triple to right field. Two hitters later, first baseman Tino Bethancourt knocked an inside fastball over to right field that finished off the ‘Sox two-run comeback.
Alex Brady's gutsy relief performance helped him earn his only Sox win in his final game of the summer. After the heroics, Tino Bethancourt has five RBI in the last two days and two memorable hits. The win keeps Wenatchee 4.5 games behind Bellingham overall and just 3.5 games back in the second half standings.
Wenatchee is back to .500 when they score five or more runs. This team doesn't quit and their late inning offense proves it. This summer from the sixth frame through the ninth, they have outscored their foes by nine runs, 106-97. The AppleSox offense, still ninth in the West Coast League with a .226 batting average, has scored 21 runs in their first two games this month.
One reason for this explosion has been Wenatchee's aggressive baserunning. The Sox have stolen 12 bases without being caught in their first two games against Port Angeles. This was expected as Wenatchee is second in steals among all ten WCL teams. Building off that, the Sox have unleashed the power ball lately. They have homered safely in their last five league games, the longest streak of the summer. Even more impressive, Wenatchee has neutralized Port A's power. The Lefties have only one home run against Wenatchee through five contests despite currently ranking third in the entire league with 27 big flies.
Looking for one last thrill, incoming Oregon sophomore Logan Mercado will toe the rubber in his final outing of the summer. Mercado is 2-2 with a 4.59 ERA, has struck out 29, walked 13 and held hitters to a .258 batting average. This will be Mercado’s second start against the Lefties. The Pasco, Washington native is looking for a repeat of July 7th when he struck out a season-high eight Lefties at Civic Field in his first five-inning start of the summer.
Port Angeles has not announced a starter for today’s final meeting between the Lefties and the AppleSox.
Tickets are available for tonight’s game as well as each of the final four home games and can be purchased on your computer at applesox.com/tickets or at the ballpark. Gates open at 5:30 tonight.
If you cannot make it over to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium tonight, the AppleSox will provide a live video broadcast with a synced-up radio feed. It can be seen on playsight.com. Joel Norman and Reily Chestnut will provide play-by-play coverage.
Listen live to the action on Sunny FM at kcsyfm.com on your desktop computer or by tuning in at any of the following stations below.
Wenatchee: 93.9 FM
East Wenatchee/Rock Island: 98.1 FM
Lake Chelan Valley: 95.3 FM
Brewster/Pateros: 101.3 FM
Okanogan Valley: 101.9 FM
Omak/Tonasket/Oroville: 97.7 FM
Methow Valley: 106.3 FM
Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. with the Horan Estates Winery Pregame Show and the broadcast wraps up with the Denny’s Late Night Postgame Show.
Live stats can be found on Pointstreak.
