Pippins Win with Walk-Off, Shed Four-Game Losing Skid
June 27, 2024 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release
YAKIMA, Washington - Yakima Valley needed a clutch swing of the bat in the bottom of the ninth in a tie game. Drew Johnson stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and lifted a pitch to deep right field to lift the Pippins out of a four-game losing streak.
The Pippins dropped off the Portland Pickles in the middle game of the three-game series on Wednesday night from Yakima County Stadium. Johnson's walk-off base knock made the final score 4-3, as the Pipps hit their second walk-off of the season.
After scoring just seven runs during the four-game skid, the Pippins offense started early in game two. Johnson and Preston Allen both came across in the first inning to give the Pipps a 2-0 lead. Allen found his 30th hit of the season, and Brennan Morgan's 2-RBI single gave the Pipps their first lead of the series.
Another run came across from Adrian Hinojosa as David Ballenilla chopped an RBI groundout to bring Hinojosa across. That made it 3-0 in favor of Yakima Valley before the Pickles were finally able to respond.
Three unanswered runs between Kevin Ferguson and Tanner Griffith drew game two closer, as the Pickles got their offense going in the middle of the game. Griffith scored two of the three runs for Portland in this game and finished 2-for-3 at the plate.
Yakima Valley got some great work on the mound from starter Colton LaFave early in the game. He went for a personal season-high five strikeouts and dealt 5.0 innings while just two runs came across against him. Donovann Jackson made his eighth appearance of the season in the sixth inning and carried the load on the bump the rest of the way for Yakima Valley.
Jackson punched out four batters in four innings and was able to keep Portland quiet after the sixth. In the eighth, Mauricio Guardado put his arm talent on display defensively to give Jackson some help. He caught Griffith as he tried to swipe second base and gunned him down for the third out to send the tied game to the ninth.
One more scoreless frame from Jackson gave the Pipps their final at-bats with a chance to win it. Guardado finished what was by far his best offensive game of the season by putting a leadoff single to right field. He was followed by Ballenilla who reached on a bunt, and Julian Angulo who was intentionally walked.
Johnson came to the plate in a bases-loaded situation and put the second pitch he saw in the at-bat deep into right field. As the ball sailed over Griffith's head, the Pippins dugout cleared out as Yakima Valley celebrated the walk-off win with "Drewbie" on the basepath. The Pippins avoided a five-game losing skid, and advanced to 12-11 on the year. The Pickles took their seventh loss of 2024 and are now 14-7.
Offensively, three players stood out for Yakima Valley. Johnson, Hinojosa and Guardado combined for seven of the Pippins' 11 hits on the night. Guardado, who entered this game with just one hit on the season, displayed impressive power at the plate. He smacked two doubles and a single to finish 3-for-4.
Johnson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, along with two walks drawn. Hinojosa made it two games in a row where he put together two hits. This was the first time of the season where the Pippins outfielder went for back-to-back multi-hit games.
On the mound, the Pippins had nine combined punchouts between LaFave and Jackson. Yakima Valley limited one of the highest scoring teams in the WCL to just four runs, which is the lowest scoring game for the Pickles since June 22, in which Portland beat the Nanaimo Night Owls 3-2.
Game 3 will determine the series winner. First pitch will take place at 6:35 p.m. Thursday from The Orchard, as Carson Judd will make his fifth start of the season.
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West Coast League Stories from June 27, 2024
- Pippins Win with Walk-Off, Shed Four-Game Losing Skid - Yakima Valley Pippins
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