Magrisi Dominates as Pippins Even Series with Port Angeles

YAKIMA, Wash. – Joe Magrisi did not allow a run over seven shutout innings and the Yakima Valley Pippins got enough offense in the middle innings to topple the Port Angeles Lefties, 7-1, on Saturday evening at Yakima County Stadium, evening their weekend series at one game apiece.

Magrisi, coming off of his shortest start of the summer last weekend at Portland, had elite command of his three-pitch mix as he sliced up the Port Angeles (2-2, 12-18) lineup from start to finish over his seven-inning outing. After a season-high six walks a week ago, Magrisi did not issue a free pass on Saturday, and also struck out 11 batters to up his league-leading strikeout total to 53 on the year. He allowed four hits, and threw 99 pitches.

The Pippins (2-3, 13-18) jumped on Port Angeles starter Tyler Tan early, giving Magrisi a 2-0 lead after two innings. Aidan Welch singled through the left side, and Nick Israel brought him home a batter later with an RBI double. After a wild pitch moved Israel to third, Noah Andrews scored Israel on a groundout, and the Pippins led 2-0. They never trailed in the ballgame.

While Magrisi cruised through the top halves of innings, Tan ran into some trouble in the middle innings, allowing an unearned run to score in the fifth before exiting with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the sixth. Reliever Zach Tresemer, facing Andrews, got a ground ball up the middle, but it slid right underneath second baseman Damiano Palmegiani’s glove, leading to two Pippins runs and the start of a 4-run sixth inning that pushed the lead to 7-0.

A.J. Wood finished off the game for the Pippins with two innings of relief, allowing one run on a double in the 8th inning while striking out one. Magrisi earned the win, improving to 2-0 on the season, while Tan took his first loss of the summer.

Israel led the way on offense for the Pippins, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs on the day. Welch also added two hits for the Pippins, while Kyle Dean added a double (his first hit of the summer). Gavin Rork (2-for-4, 1 run scored) paced the offense for Port Angeles.

The series wraps up on Sunday with a doubleheader set to begin at 4:35 PM. The two teams will play a pair of seven-inning games separated by 30 minutes. Left-hander Nathan Bonck will start game one for Port Angeles, and will be opposed by Pippins righty Trystan Vrieling. Right-hander Dwayne Angebrandt will get the ball for the Lefties in Game 2 against a to-be-decided pitcher for Yakima Valley. Pregame coverage at pippinsbaseball.com/live with Miles Klotz begins at 4:20 PM.

By Miles Klotz

July 14, 2019