Pickles stay red-hot, roll to fifth sweep of the season

This series felt chippy, but nothing came of it, as the Pickles didn’t give the Yakima Valley Pippins much to feel confident about. The Portland Pickles showed once again why they sport the league’s best record, combining explosive offense with stifling pitching for Yakima Valley to witness. The fifth sweep of the season for the Pickles was as commanding as any so far.

GAME ONE:

The series opener was nothing short of excellent for the Pickles, dominating the Yakima Valley Pippins in a 19-2 beatdown. The game was tied going in to the bottom half of the third inning, but it was all Pickles from there. The Portland bats scored five runs in the 3rd, five runs in the 5th, and six runs in the 7th on their way to 19 runs off of 19 hits. The Pickles scored in all but three frames, serving notice of their high-powered offense.

Pickles’ starter Ethan Thomas (Texas Christian University) went 2.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, striking out three Yakima Valley hitters. After Thomas, the relief pitching destroyed any glimmer of hope for the Pippins’ offense. The combination of Ari Kligman (Sacramento State), Zach DenDekker (Orange Coast College), and Brady Hudson (University of Northern Colorado) allowed no runs while only giving up three hits and striking out seven Pippins hitters. Kligman pitched particularly well in relief, throwing 4.1 innings, striking out four, and allowing only two hits.

The 19-run explosion from the Pickles was largely a team effort. Josh Schleichardt (Vanguard University) went 4–6 in this one, launching another home run and contributing three of the team’s RBIs. Kyle McDaniel (Utah Tech) had a great night as well, with a team-leading four RBIs on the night off of three hits of his own. Aiden Taurek (St. Mary’s College of California) made a statement in his first game for the Pickles this season, going 3–4 with three RBIs, two runs, and two walks. Contributions were made up and down the order, as this was an all-around showcase of the Pickles’ run-creating power.

GAME TWO:

Game two followed a similar script to Game 1: dominance from the Pickles. The Pickles jumped out to a 5–0 lead in the bottom of the second and never looked back. They poured it on throughout the game, ending with 17 runs on 16 hits.

Starting pitcher for the Pickles Dylan Smith (University of Northern Colorado) went 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on three hits and four strikeouts. Smith is still sporting a 2.18 ERA, as only one of Smith’s runs was earned in Wednesday's outing. The bullpen shut down any signs of offense from the Pippins, giving up a combined one hit, zero runs, and four strikeouts. Bryce Intagliata (College of Southern Idaho), Luke Wallin (Hope International University), and Kyle Larsen (Cal St. San Bernardino) were dominant in their outings, just further proving the Pickles’ control in Wednesday night's contest.

The offense was a walking highlight reel, featured by Joey Wright (University of California Davis), who was all over the box score with three runs, three RBIs, and three hits. The Pickles are feeling the addition of Wright, as he’s sporting a .474 batting average through six games. Fan favorite Petey Soto Jr. (Utah Tech) also had himself a day, chipping in three more hits of his own and tallying three RBIs. Elie Kligman (Sacramento State) also drove in a run while scoring two runs and catching a locked-in Pickles pitching staff. It wasn’t all bright for the Pickles, though, as Aiden Taurek was plunked by a pitch, taking him out of Wednesday's game and putting him into concussion protocol after only two games.

GAME THREE:

Game three was a much different affair, as the Yakima Valley Pippins came out with a bit more fight than they did in the first two games. The Pippins struck first with one in the 3rd, then added three more in the 4th. Through four, the Pickles’ bats were quiet, but they exploded for five runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to take the lead. The Pickles wouldn’t give it up after that, adding an insurance run in the 7th inning via ANOTHER Josh Schleichardt home run—this one a no-doubter, crushed 390 feet to center. The Pickles swept the Pippins with a 6–4 victory, continuing their dominant start to West Coast League Play.

Pickles starter Cooper Corkrean (Galveston College) went 3.0 innings, giving up three runs on four hits for the Pippins. After Corkrean’s solid start, relievers Evan McGuire (Clark CC), Carter Speights (University of California Davis), and Braydon Wooldridge (University of California Davis) allowed just one run on two hits and five strikeouts. The bullpen shut down the Yakima Valley offense after the 4th inning, giving the Portland lineup the exact chance they needed to find their footing offensively.

Player of the Week in the WCL, Josh Schleichardt, continued his unreal start to the season, launching another home run and bringing his season RBI total to 36. The Pickles’ five-hitter now has 10 home runs, showcasing his power for the whole league to see. Tony Otis (University of the Pacific) also drove in two runs in the 5th on a double launched to center field, putting a stamp on his first series of the year. Kyle McDaniel put together another good day, opening the scoring in the 5th with a double and scoring a run of his own. McDaniel struck out for just the third time this season, continuing to put pressure on opposing teams’ pitching staffs with his great swing decisions.

The Pickles’ sweep of the Yakima Valley Pippins continues their great start to the season, bringing their WCL season record to 17–1.