Errors Cost Pippins in Late-Innning Loss in Kelowna

The Yakima Valley Pippins started off strong Saturday night in Kelowna with four runs in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk, a two-run double and a batter hit by a pitch with the bases.

Trailing 4-0, the Kelowna Falcons answered with runs in the second and third to close the gap and bring the score to 4-2.

But Yakima kept pouring it on, adding three more runs In the fourth inning for a 7-2 score. Kelowna, however, matched the Pippins stride for stride. The Falcons scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game at 7 apiece.

That's when errors began eating away at the Pippins.

After taking an 8-7 lead in the fifth inning, the Pippins gave up a two-run homer when the Falcons' Josh Croft unloaded on a pitch. Kelowna then capitalized on a throwing error on a stolen base to score another run, making the score 10-8 Falcons.

The Pippins found some lightning in the bat of Ryan Yamane, who hit an RBI single, and from Alex Guenette, who executed a safety squeeze to make the score 10-all.

But in the bottom of the ninth, Will Fox laced a single to left field to drive home the winning run -- 11-10 Falcons.

The Pippins (23-18) remain two games up in the East Division of the West Coast League going into tonight's game with the Falcons in Kelowna. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. and pregame is at 5:55 on 1460 ESPN Yakima.