WCL Walla Walla Sweets

Sweets Fall to Pippins on Martinez Walk-Off Homer

Published on June 14, 2015 under West Coast League (WCL)
Walla Walla Sweets News Release


YAKIMA, Wash. -- Entering tonight, Easton Lucas had not allowed a home run since April 30, 2014, his junior year of high school. After the ninth inning, that count started over, and the home team started celebrating.

Reid Martinez hit a two-run home run to right in the ninth inning to walk the Pippins off with a 6-4 win and even their series at The Orchard on Sunday.

The Sweets (4-4) took the lead in the second inning against starter Darion Simons. After Jon Hechtner reached on a dropped third strike and advanced to second, he stole third and came home to score when catcher Alex Guenette threw the ball into right field on the stolen base attempt. The Sweets added to their lead in the third when Kyle Nixon hit a double to bring in a run, and starting pitcher Trevin Haseltine fought through four walks to keep the Pippins (6-2) off the board through three innings.

Walla Walla scored again in the seventh when Jon Hechtner doubled to the wall, but the Pippins rallied after a long delay and a protest lodged by Sweets manager Frank Mutz in support of David Geary's eligibility, who was not listed on the Sweets' lineup card but played in the sixth inning. Yakima Valley scored a run on a Josh Nashed double and a Guenette single to cut the Sweets' lead to one. Juan Gamez hit his first home run of the year in the eighth off reliever Ryan Lillie, but the Pippins answered in the bottom half against Travis Ulvestad. The reliever loaded the bases, then was pulled for Easton Lucas (0-1, 2.00), who gave up a two-run double to Dayton Provost to tie the game.

Wyatt Mills (1-0, 0.00 ERA) came in to pitch the ninth for Yakima Valley, retiring the side after the Sweets got the tying run to third and lost him to a rundown. Lucas returned to pitch the ninth and, after giving up a two-out single to Branson Trube and throwing the ball away on a pickoff attempt that sent him to third, Reid Martinez took Lucas deep for his first home run of the season to give the Pippins the win.

The two teams will play a series-deciding third game Monday at 7:05. Left-handed pitcher Jeider Rincon is expected to start for the Sweets against right-hander Josh Nashed.

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West Coast League Stories from June 14, 2015


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