AppleSox Return Home To Face NightOwls
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First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv
Listen: kcsyfm.com
GAME NOTES
Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Ryan Martinez makes his sixth start and second against Nanaimo this summer… He last pitched last Friday, firing a season-high-matching six innings to earn the win at Edmonton… Martinez struck out two, walked two and allowed seven hits as he reached the fifth inning in an AppleSox start for the ninth time in 13 games… He previously faced the NightOwls July 7, surrendering five runs on seven hits, one walk and two strikeouts in 2.2 innings… The right-hander from Utah Tech is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, nine strikeouts, seven walks and 30 hits over 24 innings in five games (all starts)…
Nanaimo Probable Pitcher: WCL All-Star Adison Mattix stymied the AppleSox in his first outing against them July 7 and looks to do it again tonight… The right-hander from Everett Community College fired five scoreless innings while recording five strikeouts, one walk and four hits… He has tossed at least five innings in a game five times and leads the NightOwls in strikeouts… Matix is 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA, 45 strikeouts, 20 walks and 26 hits over 37.1 innings in nine games (all starts)…
Last Game: The AppleSox held the Kelowna Falcons to just two hits in a 3-0 win on Wednesday at Elks Stadium… The win was Wenatchee’s fifth sweep of the summer and third shutout… Caleb Costa struck out six over seven innings and David James retired all six hitters that he faced to earn the save…
August Departures/Arrivals: The AppleSox have several key players departing but also a few new faces coming to town this weekend… Carson Boesel, Jackson Campbell, Caleb Costa, David James, Josh Mejia and Cannon Peery all concluded their summers after Wednesday’s game but Chase Hansen, Kaden Larson, Carson Ohland, Reece Vassar and Cooper Whitton will look to make their 2024 debut this weekend… Ohland and Whitton both played for the AppleSox last season while Larson is a pitching coach Mike Callia Lower Columbia College connection and Vassar is the younger brother of AppleSox southpaw Quincy Vassar…
The NightOwls: Just swept Port Angeles, taking a doubleheader on Tuesday before a 12-2 win Wednesday… Have won six of their last 10 games and are two games back of Wenatchee for first place in the second half… Are fifth in the North Division in overall record and would miss the postseason if the regular season ended today… Wylie Watters leads the WCL with eight home runs but the AppleSox did not see him in their series at the NightOwls July 5-7…
Season Series So Far: Wenatchee showed its resiliency by taking two-of-three games at Serauxmen Stadium almost a month ago… The AppleSox trailed from the bottom of the first inning until the ninth after surrendering an early three-spot but tallied twice in the top of the ninth to take the series opener on July 5… Wenatchee scored twice in the top of the ninth the next night to tie the game but Nanaimo hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off… The AppleSox erased a 6-0 deficit in the series finale with an 11-run top of the sixth to claim the rubber match…
30 Wins: For the second straight season and for the sixth time in franchise history the AppleSox have earned at least 30 wins in a season... It’s the first time that Wenatchee has hit 30 victories in back-to-back summers since 2011-12... The AppleSox will need to finish 5-1 over their final seven games to match last summer’s 37-17 record for the second-most wins in a single season in team history...
First Half Champs: For the first time since the two-half playoff berths began being awarded in 2016 the AppleSox have won the North Division first half title and have locked up home-field advantage as the top seed in the first round of the playoffs… This is the 16th playoff berth in franchise history and the fourth in the last five seasons… Wenatchee had to wait for the result of Edmonton's game on Monday before officially claiming the title… The AppleSox and the Riverhawks both finished with 18-9 records in the first half but Wenatchee (+37) held a better run differential than the Riverhawks (+35)…
Stretch Run: Only six games remain in the regular season and the AppleSox are still pushing to lock up home-field advantage for the North Division Championship Game and the West Coast League Championship Game, if they can reach them... Wenatchee’s 32-16 mark is currently tops in the entire North Division and would earn them home-field advantage for the North Division Championship Game if the season ended today and they reached it... The AppleSox have the third-best record in the WCL behind Corvallis (36-12) and Portland (34-14)...
