HarbourCats Pounce on Pippins with 11-5 Win

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Pippins saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Monday night in Victoria, falling to the Victoria HarbourCats by a score of 11-5.

After falling behind 3-1 early on, Yakima Valley (26-23) put up three unanswered runs between the 4th and the 5th innings to take a 4-3 lead. Jake Manson, who had two early RBI, and Freddy Smith, who collected three singles and an RBI in the first five innings, helped key the strong start at the plate.

However, the Pippins couldn’t hold on to the lead down the stretch. The HarbourCats (26-22) scored three times in the 6th to take a 6-4 lead. After a scoreless 7th, Victoria got to the Pippins bullpen in the 8th, scoring five more runs to blow things open at 11-4.

On the mound, control was an issue for the Pippins, who issued eight walks and hit two batters in the loss. Yakima Valley used five different pitchers Monday against Victoria.

Monday’s loss, combined with a Corvallis win in Walla Walla, drops the Pippins to 2.5 games behind the Knights in the wild card race. Yakima Valley also sits a half game behind Victoria for second place in the wild card race. The Pippins will look to even the series Tuesday at 6:35.