Twelve-Run Fifth Buoys AppleSox Past Black Bears
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For the fourth consecutive night the Wenatchee AppleSox trailed halfway though a game and rallied to win. They scored 12 runs in the fifth inning to defeat the Cowlitz Black Bears, 19-9, on Friday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.
Michael O’Hara hit a grand slam and Adam Grob smacked a two-run homer in that long bottom of the fifth as the AppleSox scored 12 runs in an inning for the second time this week. The AppleSox set new offensive single-game highs in the 2021 season for runs scored and batters hit by pitch (eight). They drew more walks (13) than they collected base-hits (12).
O’Hara and Grob were the two most impressive contributors of the dynamite offensive effort from the AppleSox. O’Hara collected his ninth multi-hit game and second three-hit performance of 2021 while also reaching base in all but one of his six plate appearances. Grob drove in three runs and also reached base in five-of-six plate appearances. He
Trailing 6-4 entering the bottom of the fifth, the AppleSox sent 15 men to the plate and only collected two hits in the inning thanks to the two aforementioned home runs. Eleven hitters batted before O’Hara’s slam and nine of them reached base either via a walk or hit by pitch. The Black Bears used three different pitchers in the fifth, including the first of four position players on the evening.
Jack Lee (1-2) earned his first win of the season in his longest effort of the summer. He struck out seven in five innings and received his best run support of the summer.
Garrett Cutting continued his torrid stretch at the plate. He tripled for the third consecutive game and drove in three runs. He has recorded three consecutive three-hit games, has collected at least one hit in six-of-his-last-seven games and is batting .500 in his last 12 at-bats.
Ethan Stacy, signed a day prior, made his AppleSox debut in the sixth and remained in the game to play shortstop. He pinch-hit for Jackson Van De Brake and drove in a run with a groundout then singled in the eighth.
The AppleSox look to take the series and win their seventh consecutive game in this homestand on Saturday night when they face the Black Bears again at 6:35. Neither team has announced a probable pitcher for the game.
Listen to postgame interviews with O’Hara and Grob below.
