PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — The Washington Blue Sox continued their strong start to the California Winter League season with a 3-0 win over the Toronto Rush to start Thursday at Palm Springs Stadium.
The game was a pitchers’ duel from the start. Blue Sox (5-2) starter Jake Moore and reliever Will Marshall combined to throw a four-hit shutout, with Moore picking up the win and Marshall getting the save. Moore kept the Rush hitters quiet throughout his outing, striking out five and only walking one. Marshall, who pitched the final two innings, struck out the side in the seventh inning to end the game.
Runs were hard to come by in this one, but the Blue Sox managed to score three against Rush (3-3) starter Walter Rook, who took the loss but ended up working six innings with five strikeouts.
Washington scored one run in the second on Will Barring’s RBI double, and two more in the third on Dallas Seidel’s two-run home run to straight-away center field. Seidel finished the day 2-for-2. KC Huth had another good day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a single and a run scored.
Game two on Thursday ended in the Palm Springs Power blowing out the Alberta Grizzly, 12-4. Palm Springs sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning and pushed across six runs to take the early advantage and would never look back.
Dillon Kelley doubled in two runs with one out, as Hayden Mahe-Liessmann, Christian Lyman, Brandon Turner and Christopher Scalisi followed with RBI singles in the frame. The Power (4-2) would not score again until the sixth.
Meanwhile, Christian Colletti worked efficiently in five innings of work for Palm Springs. The left-hander allowed a solo home run to Sam Krick in the third, as well as two runs in the fourth. Christopher Mangus scored Chuck Terron on a triple and Brett Thompson drove in Mangus on a groundout.
Leading 6-3, Palm Springs piled on a five run sixth inning on two hits and four walks after all nine batters stepped to the plate. The Power added a run of insurance in the seventh, as Lyman doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Alberta (3-3-1) scored a run in the bottom half after Brett Thompson scored on an Adam Gauthier single. In the game, Scalisi had a banner day at the plate going 5-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
On the auxiliary field, the Oregon Lumberjacks defeated the British Columbia Bombers 3-1. The Jacks improve to 3-3, while the Bombers fall to 1-5-1.
In game two, it was the Manitoba North Stars defeating the Coachella Vally Snowbirds, 9-5. Manitoba improves to 3-3-1, while the Snowbirds remain winless.
Tomorrow consists of the Alberta Grizzly taking on the Washington Blue Sox beginning at 10:00am. Game two is scheduled to begin at 12:30 with the Toronto Rush set to battle the undefeated Canada A’s.
Friday, February 2 is “Canada Day” at the ballpark. Those with a valid Canadian ID will be admitted to Palm Springs Stadium for just $3. Those not in attendance may listen to the call live online at CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.
