Portland rallies in ninth to stun AppleSox, claim WCL title

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Wenatchee AppleSox were one out away from clinching their seventh West Coast League championship when victory slipped through their fingers in dramatic fashion.

The Portland Pickles staged a stunning two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the AppleSox 6-5 on Friday night at Walker Stadium, securing their first WCL title in franchise history.

With two outs and a runner on first, Portland strung together four consecutive baserunners to overturn a 5-4 deficit. A clutch opposite-field single kept the Pickles' hopes alive before a daring double steal put the tying and winning runs in scoring position. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Diego Castellanos drew a walk to force in the tying run. Connor Stewart then hit a slow roller to shortstop that couldn't be fielded cleanly, allowing the winning run to cross the plate.

The heartbreaking loss overshadowed a stellar relief appearance by Wenatchee's Quincy Vassar. Fresh off earning WCL Pitcher of the Week honors for his complete game against Victoria in the North Division Series, Vassar had held Portland scoreless for 4 2/3 innings before faltering in the final frame.

Wenatchee had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth when James Castagnola's opposite-field double drove in Max Hartman, who had led off the inning with a single.

The game was a back-and-forth affair from the start. Portland struck first in the bottom of the first inning, capitalizing on a bunt to bring home a run. Wenatchee answered in the second when Jake Larson singled in Evan Cloyd, who had doubled to start the inning.

The AppleSox pushed ahead 3-1 in the third, taking advantage of two Portland errors. However, the lead was short-lived as the Pickles responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to go up 4-3.

A defensive highlight came in the sixth inning when Wenatchee left fielder Cam Hoiland made a catch and threw out a runner attempting to score from third, keeping the deficit at one run.

Despite the loss, the 2024 season was a success for Wenatchee. The AppleSox captured their ninth division championship and first since 2013, while setting new franchise records for on-base percentage (.404), RBI (332), walks (312), and hit-by-pitches (82). Their 35 wins marked the sixth time in franchise history they've reached the 30-win plateau.

As the AppleSox look to regroup for 2025, the front office has already begun selling season tickets, with packages starting at $150 for a minimum of 27 home games. Current season ticket holders have until October 1 to renew their seats before they're released to the general public.