Pippins Pitching Dominates as Yakima Valley Snaps Skid

YAKIMA, Wash. – Mark Finkelnburg tossed 6 scoreless innings to set the tone, and the Yakima Valley Pippins rode a 12-hit day on offense all the way to the bank in a 5-0 win over the Bellingham Bells at Yakima County Stadium on Tuesday night, snapping a team-record 9-game losing streak.

The Pippins (9-15) struck early and never looked back, scoring 2 runs on Bellingham (14-8) starter Matt Henckel in the first inning when Owen Cobb hit an RBI double and Brady Hormel brought home a run with a single. From there, Finkelnburg took control, tossing two 1-2-3 innings in a dominating performance. He struck out 6 and allowed just four baserunners (3 hits, one walk) and picked up his first win of the summer in the process.

The Pippins added another run off of Henckel in the 5th inning, knocking him out after an Aidan Welch RBI single. Henckel took his first loss of the summer, allowing 3 earned runs on 9 hits and 2 walks over 4.2 innings. He was relieved by Brenden Argomaniz, making his Bellingham debut, who struggled in the sixth inning, allowing a pair of runs on 3 hits, 2 walks, and a wild pitch that scored Pippins catcher Brett Wells.

Those two insurance runs were all the Pippins would need, as the bullpen was lockdown in relief. Jack Gonzales threw 23 of his 27 pitches for strikes in 2 scoreless innings, and Joe Magrisi struck out 3 batters in a scoreless ninth inning to close out the victory.

Offensively, the Pippins were led by Owen Cobb, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Aidan Welch, who drove in 2 runs as part of a 2-for-4 day. Nick DiCarlo, in his return to the Pippins lineup after playing for the team in 2018, had 2 hits in his 2019 debut, and Brett Wells also added two singles. Guthrie Morrison had two hits for Bellingham.

The series continues on Wednesday with a special 7:05 PM first pitch time at the Orchard. Right-hander Bo Henderson will make his first start of the summer for the Pippins, and will be opposed by Bellingham righty John Kelly. Pregame coverage with Miles Klotz at pippinsbaseball.com/live begins at 6:50 PM.

By Miles Klotz

July 3, 2019