AppleSox Sweep Lefties To Open Season 3-0

The Wenatchee AppleSox capped off a perfect opening weekend with a 15-2 win over the Port Angeles Lefties on Sunday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox earned their first sweep of the season thanks to scoring 10 runs over the first two innings. Damon Gaither led the way with five runs driven in as Wenatchee (3-0) scored three runs in the first, seven in the second and five in the sixth.

The 35 runs that the AppleSox scored over the weekend were their most in the first three home games in league play of any season in franchise history. Wenatchee swept its first league three-game series of the season for the second consecutive summer and for the sixth time in franchise history.

Port Angeles (0-3) struck in the top of the first inning to take their second lead of the weekend but it would not make it to the second inning. Gaither hit a bases-clearing double down the left-field line on the 11th pitch of his at-bat after hitting four straight foul balls. Gaither was the fourth consecutive hitter to reach base with two outs and his hit gave Wenatchee the lead for good.

Thirteen men came to the plate in the bottom of the second as Wenatchee plated seven runs and put the game out of reach. Each of the first six hitters recorded base hits and came around to score. Masayuki Kawashima tripled in Fred Buckson two batters into the inning and Max Hartman followed with a single to drive in the second run of the inning. Kade Benavidez singled in a run and Luca Boscarino doubled in another before the first out of the inning was recorded. Gaither singled in a pair and then three more singles followed before the last two outs.

The AppleSox’ first two runs of the sixth came via a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded hit by pitch before Hartman singled in a run and Aidan Dougherty singled in two more.

Evan Canfield and Joey Pearson both tossed two scoreless innings in their 2024 debut in relief. Canfield punched out five and stranded two runners in the sixth and Pearson only allowed one man to reach in the eighth.

Wenatchee will travel to Port Angeles on Tuesday for their first road series of the season but first hosts the Redmond Dudes on Monday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Tickets are available at applesox.com/schedule