Back-and-forth game ends with AppleSox loss

WENATCHEE — In front of a sellout crowd, the Wenatchee AppleSox (8-13) dropped a back-and-forth affair with the Yakima Valley Pippins, 10-9, in 11 innings on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium

With the park packed and energetic throughout, the Sox entertained fans throughout the night. In a game that featured seven ties or lead changes, the most dramatic was the AppleSox striking for six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game up.

However, it would not be enough. Both teams scored in 10th, but Yakima Valley scored the game-winner in the top of the 11th with two outs.

Cory Meyer picked up his team-high 15th RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to score the game’s first run. Connor McCord singled with one out and Jacob Prater followed with a doubled to put runners at second and third. Meyer flied out to right field on a ball that was hit deep enough to plate Prater.

The lead would be short-lived, though, as the Pippins scored two runs on three hits in the fifth inning.

However, the Sox would answer back in the bottom of that same inning. J.T. Scwartz walked and stole second and scored after Mason Marenco singled him home with two outs.

The back-and-forth game continued with the Pippins sending eight men to the plate and scoring two more runs in the sixth inning. They again sent eight men up in the seventh and tacked on four more runs to take an 8-2 lead.

However, the Sox refused to quit. They rallied to score six runs in the eighth inning all with two outs. It started with a McCord single and then walks to Meyer and Kody Darcy loaded the bases. With two outs, Isaac Barrera, Michael Spellacy and Mason Marenco all singled to bring in three runs.

The AppleSox weren’t finished. With the bases still loaded, Johnny Sage hit a shallow single to center to scored both Barrera and Spellacy. As Marenco was running to third, the throw from center could not be handled and skipped into the AppleSox dugout. Marenco was award home and the game was tied.

Neither team scored in the ninth, but the Pippins did get on the board again in the top of the 11th to take the lead. However, after singles by Barrera and Spellacy, Sage singled in Barrera to pick up his third RBI of the game and tie it, 9-9.

In the 11th, the Pippins scored for the second time in extras with two outs and took a one-run lead into the bottom of the inning. The Sox put runners on first and second with two outs, but could not tie it up again.