Pippins Pitching Shines in Win Over Kelowna

YAKIMA, Wash. – A return home was all the Yakima Valley Pippins needed to get back on the winning track. The Pippins used a quality start from Mark Woinarowicz and a 5-run fourth inning to snap out of their four-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Kelowna Falcons on Monday night at Yakima County Stadium.

The game did not get off to the best start for the Pippins (7-5), as Kelowna (2-8) grabbed an early lead in the second inning off of a sacrifice fly from Brayden Merritt, then added on in the second when Matt Voelzke singled home a run. Things started to click in the fourth inning, however, when the Pippins brought home five runs.

Henry Gargus led off the inning with a single, and was followed by a walk from Daniel Cipriano. Two batters later, Owen Cobb ripped a double to deep left-center field that tied the game at two. A pop-up and a hit-by-pitch later, and Tanner Parker deposited a baseball over the right field wall, a 3-run shot that was the first homer at Yakima County Stadium by a Pippin this season, to give Yakima Valley a 5-2 lead.

From there, Woinarowicz cruised, allowing just one more unearned run in the seventh. He finished his 7-inning start – the first of his collegiate career – allowing 3 runs, just one of them earned, on 7 hits, one walk, and 2 strikeouts. In the process, he earned a quality start, just the second of the year for the Pippins, and the first since Opening Day in Ridgefield. Nick Brown came on in relief to earn the save with 2 innings of work; he allowed a run to score and the tying run to reach base in the 9th, but shut the down with an infield popout.

Jonathan Clark started and took the loss for Kelowna, allowing 5 earned runs in 5 innings on 6 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Tyler Wincig followed with two shutout innings of relief, while Matt Voelzke allowed an unearned run in the 8th inning.

Offensively, the Pippins were led by Parker (2-for-5, his sixth consecutive multi-hit game) and Cobb (3-for-4, 2 RBI). Tyler Williams and Austen Butler led the way for Kelowna, both going 2-for-4, with Butler driving in a run.

The series continues on Tuesday as the Pippins will look for the series win. Joe Magrisi gets the ball for the Pippins, with first pitch set for 6:35 PM. Kelowna has not announced a projected starter. Pregame coverage on pippinsbaseball.com/live will begin with Miles Klotz at 6:20 PM.

By Miles Klotz

June 18, 2019