The Kamloops NorthPaws continued their undefeated second half with a 6-5 win over the Wenatchee AppleSox at Paul Thomas SR. Stadium. Righty Joey Rico got the start for the NorthPaws and struck out six batters. The game was tied at one going into the eighth, where the teams went back and forth, with the NorthPaws grabbing multi-run leads that the AppleSox would come back from. However, eventually, Kamloops hung on for their 18th win of the season.
Rico had his best start following his last outing against the AppleSox on June 30th, where he gave up three earned runs in three innings pitched. Rico was virtually untouchable on the mound, striking out six and only giving up one hit while not walking a single batter. Following the lone hit he gave up, he would then retire 10 straight batters to end his outing.
The NorthPaws bats got off to a quick start in the top of the first when right fielder Jared Hall got hit by a pitch in just the third pitch of the game. Hall would steal second and advance to third on third baseman Elijah Clayton’s sacrifice fly. Shortstop Drew Schmidt sent a single to center field, scoring Hall.
The game was flying by, but Wenatchee tied the game in the fifth when they had runners on the corners with one out. A crafty bunt up the first baseline left the NorthPaws fielders no choice but to record the out at first and let the game be tied.
The game remained tied until the top of the eighth inning. Elijah Clayton led off with a walk and advanced to second on a Drew Schmidt sacrifice bunt. Joey Rico not only started on the mound, but he was also in the designated hitter slot at the plate. Rico blasted his second home run of the summer, 406 feet over the right field wall, giving Kamloops the lead.
The AppleSox bats woke up in the bottom half, however, with a leadoff double and a single putting runners on the corners with no one out. A sacrifice fly made it a one-run game. Another sacrifice fly and a wild pitch saw the runner move to third base with two outs, and in a two-strike count, the AppleSox got their clutch hit, tying the game.
The NorthPaws responded in the bottom of the eighth with catcher Kalen Applefield leading off with a double. Center fielder Ethan Kodama moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt, and left fielder Cade Palkowski drove him in with a single. Right fielder Jared Hall beat out a double play ball, reaching base, and Clayton singled. Schmidt was at the plate and grounded one to third, and what seemed like a routine play turned into a disaster for the AppleSox as a throwing error caused both Hall and Clayton to score, making it 6-3
Righty closer Julio Garcia came on in the eighth and stayed on in the bottom of the ninth to try and finish the job. After recording the first out, the AppleSox forced a walk, hit a single, then made it a one-run game off a triple to the gap in right center field. With the tying run on third, Garcia shut the door, striking out back-to-back batters, ending the game and securing the NorthPaws fourth consecutive victory.
The NorthPaws will try for a club record fifth straight win on Wednesday night and look to remain undefeated in the second half of the season. You can find the game on West Coast League TV.
Recent Comments