Pickles Win 10th Straight Series
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (July 11, 2024) – Following a game one defeat, the Portland Pickles (23-9) won games two and three over the Springfield Drifters (13-8) to win their 10th straight series of the season. The Pickles have now won eight of nine and are 6-1 to start the second half of the season. Tied with the Ridgefield Raptors for wins (6), the Pickles are only .5 games behind first place for the south division of the WCL standings. The Pickles are already five wins away from last year's win mark (28).
The Pickles finished second in the South Division of the WCL and second overall in winning percentage (.724). In order to make the playoffs, the Pickles will need to finish in the top four of the South Division in the second half of the season. Four Pickles made the 2024 WCL All-Star Game. Patrick Keigrhan, Tanner Griffith, Shay Timmer, and Freddie Rodriguez.
GAME 1:
The Pickles dropped their first game of the second half of the WCL season on the road 5-4 in Springfield. The Drifters scored three runs in the fifth, totaled 11 hits, and took advantage of three Pickles’ errors. The offense for the Pickles just couldn’t crack a big inning as the offense left eight runners on base and totaled nine hits. Left fielder Carter Frederick (Oklahoma), and third baseman Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly) recorded three hits a piece. Garza recorded two RBI, and right fielder Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) recorded two runs of his own. Game one flipped the script for base runners for the Pickles. The offense recorded only three walks and failed to record a big inning.
Right-hander Dylan Smith (Northern Colorado) got the start on the knoll and recorded his fifth start of the season, and his third straight appearance pitching 4.0 innings. Smith allowed just one run on five hits, striking out four Drifters’ hitters. Left-hander Nolan Ficklin (BYU) threw a season high 3.0 relief innings giving up one run on four hits, striking out two drifters. Both Smith and Ficklin totaled a 2.25 ERA for the season.
GAME 2:
Recording at least a run in seven of nine innings, the Pickles bounced back in game two with a 14-4 victory over the Drifters. A four fun third inning would and seven of nine Pickles’ hitters recording a hit would force a game three rubber match. Center fielder Tony Otis (Pacific) and shortstop Tyler Harries (San Francisco) recorded a three-hit game. Designated hitter Patrick Keigrhan (San Francisco) recorded three runs, four walks, a HBP, and recorded a double and an RBI. First baseman Kevin Ferguson (Hawaii) and Otis recorded three RBI, with Otis recording his third home run of the season.
Starting left-hander Shaydon Benson (College of Southern Idaho) tied a season high 3.0 innings pitched in his seventh appearance of the season. Right-hander Murphy Gienger (Northern Colorado) recorded his second win of the season, recording 5.0 innings, with one run, on four hits, striking out four Drifters’ hitters in relief.
GAME 3:
The Pickles’ pitching staff earned a shutout in a 6-0 game three and series win. Left-hander Ben Smith (GCU) recorded his second consecutive win in his fourth start of the season. Smith threw a season high 5.1 innings giving up no runs on three hits, while striking out five Drifters hitters. Smith now has a 2.79 ERA for the season and retired 16 of the 20 batters faced. Right-hander Alex Overbay (UNLV) and right-hander Carter Delaney (UC Davis) recorded two strikeouts and one hit a piece. The Defense also did their job as they recorded no errors in the series clinching victory.
The top six hitters recorded all 12 hits for the Pickles. A leadoff home run in the top of the first by first baseman Patrick Keigrhan (San Francisco) highlighted the offensive display for the Pickles. Keighran and right fielder Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) recorded two hits with Keigrhan hitting his third home run of the season. Second baseman Alex Gouveia (UC Davis) and center fielder Tony Otis (Pacific) recorded two hit games. Three Pickles’ baserunners recorded a stolen base (Griffith, Otis, and and Ferguson), and the lineup recorded six walks as a team. There were four doubles recorded as well for the Pickles (Keighran, Frederick, Gouveia, and Otis). A three run three inning would help the Pickles settle in and coast for the shutout victory and would help clinch their tenth series win of the season.
SEASON NOTES:
Tyler Harries (San Francisco) has recorded eight multi-hit games this season, and recorded 10 hits in the last six games.
Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) has reached base safely in 26 of 30 games this season. Griffith has recorded eight multi-hit games, and leads the team with 28 walks this season.
Patrick Keighran (San Francisco) has recorded at least one hit in 9 of the last 11 games, with six multi-hit games this season. Keighran has also recorded at least two runs in 10 games this season, and has recorded 2+ walks in eight games this season.
Alex Gouveia (UC Davis) has recorded a run in seven of nine games, reaching base safely in 15 of 19 games played this season. Gouveia has recorded 10 multi-hit games this season, and four games with at least three hits.
In his first four games, Carter Frederick (Oklahoma) is 8-16 with two doubles, four runs, recording five RBI, and a 4-1 BB/K ratio.
In his first four games, Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly) is 6-17 with a double, three runs, recording three RBI, and 3-1 BB/K ratio.
Connor Stewart (CSUN) has reached base safely in 18 of 23 games played this season.
Shunsuke Sakaino (CSUN) has reached base safely in 16 of 19 games played this season.
Sam Christiansen (Oklahoma) has reached base safely in 20 of 24 games this season, and has recorded at least one run in 18 games.
Dylan Smith (Northern Colorado) leads the team in innings pitched (24), and has thrown for 4.0+ innings in five of six appearances this season.
Murphy Gienger (Northern Colorado) has recorded 4+ strikeouts in five of six appearances this season, and is second on the team in innings pitched (23).
Freddie Rodriguez (Hawaii) has thrown for 5+ innings in all four starts this season, and has won three of his four starts this season. Rodriguez also is third on the team in innings pitched (21).
Brock Roundy (Utah Tech) has recorded 5+ strikeouts in three of four games pitched, and has not given up a run this season in 16 innings pitched.
Shaydon Benson has appeared in seven games and has thrown for at least 2+ innings in every appearance, and struck out 3+ three times.
Noah Luchessi (Sacramento State) leads the team with eight appearances this season.
The Pickles have won their 10 series this season, and have won seven straight series.
The Pickles are 10-4 at home, 13-5 on the road, and 8-2 in their last 10 games
PICKLES IN THE WCL:
The Pickles are 6-1 in the second half of the season. Pickles finished second overall in winning percentage (.680) in the first half of the season, and second in the South division with a 17-8 record.
Team defense is second in fielding percentage (.974).
Offense is first in HBP (60), Sacrifice Hits (43), second in OBP (.394), in runs scored (206), walks (189) and third in stolen bases (72), and RBI (162).
Pitching is first in hits allowed (210), strikeouts (279), SLG allowed (.244), AVG against (.201), second runs allowed (98), WHIP (1.23), ERA (2.78).
Tyler Harries (San Francisco) sits fourth in AVG (.356), sixth in OBP (.453)
Alex Gouveia (UC Davis) sits fifth in AVG (.346).
Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) sits first in total walks (28), and sixth in OBP (.453), HBP (7), in runs scored (24).
Patrick Keighran (San Francisco) is first in OBP (.523), HBP (15), second in runs scored (33), and total walks (27), third in Slugging Percentage (.517).
Connor Stewart (CSUN) sits fifth in HBP (8).
Sam Christiansen (Oklahoma) sits third in stolen bases (14).
Tony Otis (Pacific) sits fourth in stolen bases (13).
NEXT UP:
The Portland Pickles (23-9) will be back home in Walker Stadium to face the Bend Elks (21-12) in a three-game series for State Fair Weekend July 12-14.
Ticket Info: https://www.picklestickets.com/