Pippins Shock Medford with 9th Inning Rally
July 14, 2014 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release
MEDFORD, Ore. - Coming into Sunday's series opener at Medford, the Yakima Valley Pippins were 0-10 when trailing after 8 innings. Sunday, they added to the win column for the first time, scoring three runs in the 9th to claim a 4-3 victory over the Medford Rogues at Harry & David Field.
Early on, Pippins starter Eli Morgan and Rogues starter Brandon Erickson were locked in a pitcher's duel. Both allowed just two hits and a walk through the first five innings.
The Pippins (20-11) were the first to break through on the scoreboard, getting an RBI single from JC Snyder in the top of the 5 th to give the Pippins a 1-0 lead. After Morgan kept the Rogues scoreless in the 5 th, Medford (17-14) tied the game in the bottom of the 6 th on a safety squeeze bunt from Yuto Kata.
One inning later, the Rogues took the lead, as the Pippins got a little sloppy in the field. The Rogues took a 2-1 lead after Alex Guenette's throw to catch an attempted base stealer sailed into center field. That made it 2-1 Medford, before Andre Vigil drove in the third run on a sacrifice fly.
In the 9 th, the Pippins struck on Medford closer Shane Quarterly. After Reid Martinez and Mitch Skaggs singled to lead off the inning and a wild pitch moved the runners to 2 nd and 3rd, Vince Fernandez tied the game with a two-run double down the right field line. He would move up on a sacrifice bunt by Tim Hergert, before Snyder brought him home on a groundout.
In the bottom of the 9 th, Nick Kern struck out the side to pick up his fourth save of the year and extend the Pippins lead in the WCL East to 4 1/2 games over both Wenatchee and Walla Walla. Kern has recorded 20 of his 28 outs via strikeout this season.
The Pippins have won five of their last six games and will go for their eighth series win in the last 10 series Monday night at 6:35 p.m.
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West Coast League Stories from July 14, 2014
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- Pippins Shock Medford with 9th Inning Rally - Yakima Valley Pippins
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