Pickles Win Fourth Straight Series
YAKIMA, Wash. (June 27, 2024) – It took all that they had, but the Portland Pickles (15-7) won the rubber match and the series over the Yakima Valley Pippins (12-12). In the first of a three straight series road trip, the Pickles won their seventh series of the year.
The WCL leading defense was key for the Pickles all series, committing only one error. Game one the offense erupted for 17 runs in a dominating 17-2 win. The Pippins responded however and took game two 4-3 on a walk-off to even the series. Game three saw 10 different pitchers appear in the game, and would help guide the Pickles to a 6-4 victory and a gritty series win.
GAME 1:
A dominating performance from the Pickles led by a seven run sixth inning helped them to a 17-2 game one victory over the Pippins. Three Pickles’ hitters recorded a multi-hit game (Chacon, Stewart, and Christiansen). Left fielder Dominic Chacon (GCU) recorded a team high three hits with two doubles, and five RBI. Center fielder Sam Christiansen (Oklahoma) recorded a team high three runs, and catcher Connor Stewart (CSUN) recorded his fourth double of the season, and added two runs. Third baseman Patrick Keigrhan (San Francisco) also added two runs, one hit, and two walks with two RBI. Eight different Pickles’ hitters recorded at least one hit, recorded only two strikeouts and took advantage of four Pippins’ errors to match a season high 17 runs.
Three Pickles’ pitchers would limit the Pippins to only two runs on four hits. Starting pitcher Dylan Smith (Northern Colorado) gave up only one hit in four innings, adding three strikeouts. Smith ended the game with a 1.68 ERA for the season. Right-hander Murphy Gienger (Northern Colorado) earned his first win of the season. In four innings of work, Gienger gave up one run on three hits, and added four strikeouts. Gienger now sits in second with a 1.17 ERA this season. Right-hander Ethan Marmie (Cal Poly San Luis Obsipo) made his season debut facing four batters with one strikeout and one walk.
GAME 2:
The Pippins would respond from their game one loss, scoring two runs in the first inning, and adding another in the second. The Pickles would chip away the early 3-0 deficit with one run in the third, fourth, and sixth innings, but failed to create a big inning like game one. The Pickles would fail to put a runner in scoring position in the last three innings. Two singles, a pass ball, and an intentional walk would load the bases for the Pippins. A deep single to right field would help the Pippins walk it off and win 4-3 to tie the series.
Right fielder Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) would record two runs on two hits and was the only Pickles hitter that recorded a multi-hit game. Center fielder Tony Otis (Pacific) and first baseman Kevin Ferguson (Hawaii) each recorded a single and a RBI. Ferguson would also record the only walk for the Pickles. Base runners were hard to come by, but three hitters were hit-by-pitch (Otis, Griffith, and Sakaino), as the Pickles’ would leave six runners on base.
Left-hander Shaydon Benson (College of Southern Idaho) and right-hander Ryder Edwards (George Fox) combined for four innings, giving up no runs, four hits, two walks and four strikeouts to help their hitters settle into the ballgame and tie it up. The defense would step up as well with a clean slate and recording no errors, but it was not enough to win the series.
GAME 3:
A quiet game in the first six innings, turned into a battle in extras. It took 12 innings, but the Pickles would squeak a 6-4 rubber-match victory. A season high 10 Pickles pitchers would appear in the ballgame and limit the Pippins to four runs on only four hits. Eight Pickles’ hitters recorded a hit, and three would record three hits in the game (Griffith, Keighran, and Harries). Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) recorded a team high two walks, and Patrick Keighran (San Francisco) recorded a team high two RBI. Both would also record two runs each. The Pickles would record 15 hits in the game.
The Pickles pitching staff was stellar, as they would one hit the Pippins until the eighth inning. The Pippins would push across three in the eighth to tie the game, but would fail to score again until the 12th inning.
In the 10th, the Pippins would load the bases with one out. A bunt attempt would force a Pippins baserunner halfway down the line, but catcher Connor Stewart would make a great stop, and chase him down for the second out of the inning. A ground ball to the left side of pitcher Nolan Ficklin (BYU) would turn him around and would make a great play to get the out at first and move us to the 11th inning.
A leadoff error by the Pippins, and then a sacrifice bunt from the Pickles in the top of the 12th would advance the go-ahead run to second base with one out. An intentional walk, and a HBP would allow a two-out walk from Dominic Chacon (GCU) to score the go-ahead run and take the 4-3 lead. This would then lead to a Carter Speights (UC Davis) at bat for his first of the season, and first in his collegiate career. Speights came in to pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning, and would record a walk, and then a pass ball would extend the 6-3 lead for a three run 12th inning.
A leadoff single, and two one out walks would bring the go-ahead run to the plate and the bases loaded for the Pippins. This would bring right-hander Josiah Shipley (Clackamas CC) into the game and the tenth pitcher of the night for Pickles. A fly out to center field, and a two out walk would score a Pippins run, and send the go-ahead run on first. A strikeout from Shipley would clinch the 6-4 rubber match and win the fourth straight series for the Pickles. Shipley would earn the save, and Speights would earn his first win of the season.
SEASON NOTES:
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.
Dylan Smith (Northern Colorado) has thrown at least 3+ innings in every appearance this season, and leads the team with 18 innings pitched.
Murphy Gienger (Northern Colorado) has 4+ strikeouts in every appearance this season.
Shay Timmer (Salt Lake CC) leads the team with two wins on the season.
Freddie Reodriguez (Hawaii) has thrown for five and six innings in his two appearances this season.
Josiah Shipley (Clackamas CC) and Noah Luchessi (Sacramento State) lead the team in appearances (6) this season.
Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) has reached base safely in 18 of 20 games this season. Griffith has recorded five multi-hit games, and leads the team with # walks this season.
Patrick Keighran (San Francisco) has recorded two RBI in back-to-back games.
Dominic Chacon (GCU) has recorded at least one hit in five of the last six games, and has recorded three multi-hit games. Chacon has reached base safely in 13 of 14 games played this season.
Sam Christiansen (Oklahoma) has reached base safely in 18 of 21 games this season.
Alex Gouveia (UC Davis) has reached base safely in seven of nine games played this season. Gouveia has record four multi-hit games this season,
Connor Stewart (CSUN) has recorded at least one hit in seven straight games, and has four multi-hit games this season. Stewart has reached base safely in 14 of 16 games played this season.
Shunsuke Sakaino (CSUN) has reached base safely in 13 of 15 games played this season.
Tyler Harries (San Francisco) has reached base safely in 15 of 20 games this season.
Nate Wood (South Alabama) has recorded a hit in five of the last six games, and has reached base safely in 14 of 18 games played this season.
The Pickles have won their seventh series of the season, have won seven of eight this season, and won their fourth straight series.
The Pickles are 9-4 at home, 6-3 on the road, and 7-3 in their last 10 games.
PICKLES IN THE WCL:
The Pickles stand 3 games back of first place in the South Division of the WCL, and third overall in winning percentage (.682). Team defense is first in fielding percentage (.977).
Offense is first in total walks (137), HBP (48), Sacrifice Hits (29), second in stolen bases (51), OBP (.391), third in runs scored (139), and fourth in RBI (110),
Pitching is first in hits allowed (126), strikeouts (212), WHIP (1.18), SLG allowed (.222), AVG against (.179), second in runs allowed (68), earned runs (63), ERA (2.80), and third in wins (15).
Tanner Griffith (St. Marys) sits first in total walks (23), first in OBP (.490) and third in HBP (7)
Patrick Keighran (San Francisco) is first in HBP (9), third in runs scored (21), fourth in total walks (16), and eighth in OBP (.463).
Sam Christiansen (Oklahoma) sits tied first in stolen bases (13), and fifth in total walks (15).
Dominic Chacon (GCU) sits 10th in OBP (.452).
Brock Roundy (Utah Tech) and Shay Timmer (Salt Lake CC) sit first in ERA (.000).
NEXT UP:
The Portland Pickles (15-7) will travel to Ridgefield for a three-game series against the Ridgefield Raptors (9-11) June 28th-30th.
Ticket Info: https://www.picklestickets.com/
