Checkmate; Knights fall to Pickles in 6-5 battle

Who else than WCL single season home run leader to tie the game in a huge spot in the sixth. Josh ‘Lidar’ Schleichardt hit a no-doubter to deep left field, which was followed up by a Grafton Stroup single that ended up being the game winning run in the sixth inning in the Portland Pickles 6-5 victory over the Corvallis Knights.

“Some of the really great players and really great teams haven’t gotten this far, so this is a great night for this organization,” Manager Mark Magdalano said. 

For the second straight year, and the second time in Pickles history, a championship is in sight for Portland.

“Just got to treat it as another game, have fun, you are playing the same game,” catcher Connor Stewart said. “Whatever outcome happens, it happens, just got to take it for what it is.”

The Knights failed to put up any runs in the last four innings, and that is thanks to relievers Ryder Edwards, and Carter Speights. While Ryder did surrender a run early in his outing, he pitched three innings and allowed one run, one hit, and collected four strikeouts. Following him, Carter Speights came into the game with one out in the eighth, and closed the door with style.

“Honestly, that just came out naturally,” Speights said of his jumping and screaming reaction in the eighth. “I had way too much adrenaline, none of that was forced. I blacked out after I struck that guy out, I don’t remember much of it, but that was very fun.”

Speights received the save in the game, recording five outs, three by the K, yet also walking three. After a meeting with Stewart, Speights reeled himself in, and started back up again. 

“I haven’t thrown a lot of changeups this year, but I know I have it in the back of my pocket,” Speights mentioned. “It’s a bunch of lefties, and I threw it to one guy and he whiffed, and I was like, ‘I got to keep throwing this, it is working’. I should’ve gone changeup on that 0-2 guy, the guy that slapped the single through the hole, and it’s whatever, I got the next guy, and a wins a win.”

With the dethronement of the Knights, your Portland Pickles will face off against the Bellingham Bells back at Walker Stadium, on Thursday, August 14, at 7:15 P.M. with the weather supposed to be a lot cooler than the game today against Corvallis. Pack the walk, and let's bring home our second straight championship to Portland.