AppleSox Defeat Honkers, Pick up First Win of 2018
June 7, 2018 - West Coast League (WCL)
Wenatchee AppleSox News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - On Wednesday night, the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Northwest Honkers, 9-2, to pick up their first home win of the 2018 season.
Sam Wong only allowed two runs in seven innings pitched and the AppleSox scored five runs in an inning for the third straight game.
Wong, who struck out five by primarily relying on a strong changeup and devastating curveball, allowed both of his runs in the second inning. However, the AppleSox red-hot bats would pick him up. For the third straight game, Wenatchee scored seven or more runs.
The AppleSox got on the board in the fourth with a single run. Alix Garcia singled with one out and advanced to third after a single and a fielder's choice. Garcia scored when Joey Magro hit a ball to the left side that the Honkers' third baseman could not handle.
In the fifth, the AppleSox got two more to take a lead they would not relinquish. John Sage reached on a fielder's choice and scored two batters later on Jordan Rathborne's triple to left-center field. Rathborne scored a batter later on a wild pitch and a throwing error to the plate by the Honkers' catcher.
The next inning, the floodgates opened. Wenatchee sent a current season-high 10 men to the plate and scored five runs. McKenzie led off with a single and stole both second and third base and Nolan McCafferty lifted a ball to left field that neither the left-fielder nor the centerfielder could handle. The ball dropped and McKenzie scored to make it 4-2, AppleSox.
Afterward, Taylor Poffenroth singled to put runners at first and second and Sage walked to load the bases. During Mason Marenco's at-bat, the Honkers catcher, Zach Zurbrugg tossed a ball back to the mound that the pitcher, Spencer Trautmann, wasn't ready for. On the play, McCafferty scored.
So, with runners at first and second, Marenco doubled to plate Poffenroth. Sage would score a batter later when Rathbone hit a sacrifice fly to right field. After Garcia and Swenson walked, Marenco scored on another error by Zurbrugg to cap the scoring.
All-in-all, the AppleSox faced four different Honkers' pitchers in the inning and the Honkers committed three of their five errors in the sixth.
The AppleSox concluded the scoring with another run in the seventh. With two outs, Poffenroth was plunked for the second time and he came around to score two batters later on Marenco's second RBI double in as many innings.
Thursday, the AppleSox will conclude their first homestand with a second consecutive game against a team from the Pacific International League when the Highline Bears come to Wenatchee. Tickets can be purchased on AppleSox.com.
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