Palm Springs, Calif. – From morning until afternoon, Palm Springs Stadium was alive with California Winter League baseball action, thanks to a captivating tripleheader. The day began with an exciting game on the Auxiliary Field with the Canada A’s taking on the Alberta Grizzly. That game was followed by another strong showing at the main stadium with the Washington Blue Sox against the Palm Springs Chill. The tripleheader reached its climax with an enthralling afternoon contest between the Palm Springs Power and Team China, providing fans with a full day of exciting baseball.
A’s 6 – 4 GRIZZLY
The Canada A’s locked down their third straight win, edging the Alberta Grizzly 6-4 on the auxiliary field on Saturday morning.
Grizzly’s newest starter Luke Payne made his first appearance of the 2025 CWL season, mowing down the A’s lineup the first time through. Payne retired the first nine in a row with 30 pitches. Payne’s offense provided early run support, scoring two runs on a pair of hits from Davie Morgan and Scott Shaw for a 2-0 lead the Grizzly held through three innings. The wheels came off for Payne in the top of the fourth, as the A’s offense woke up the second time through the lineup. An error by AJ Karosas followed by three straight doubles by Stan King, Matthew Ward, and Grayson Moller gave the A’s a two run lead. Grizzly denied the shutdown inning, courtesy of control issues from A’s reliever Paul Turelli, who walked in a run after three free bases to make it a one-run game after four. A similar inning from Grizzly reliever Yuma Ogino got the A’s two runs of insurance from five straight free bases, three of which were hit by the pitch. Grizzly scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth thanks to back-to-back leadoff singles and an RBI groundout to third by Pete Baker. Despite two clean innings from Grizzly reliever Atsushi Kataoka through the sixth and seventh, A’s bullpen arms Austin Turley and Anthony Sillas held the line with their two-run lea. Sillas secured the save and helped the A’s lock down their eleventh win of the season. The Grizzly become the first team in the 2025 CWL season to lose double-digit games (3-10), as the Canada A’s remain in first (11-2).
BLUE SOX 7 – 4 CHILL
The Washington Blue Sox struck early and rode the right arm of Angel Landazuri to a 7-4 win over the Palm Springs Chill on Saturday morning.
The Blue Sox scored three runs in each of the first two innings, including a two-run double by Tommy Easley to take an early 6-0 lead. On the mound, Landazuri tossed five sparkling innings as he took a perfect game into the fifth inning. A leadoff single to start the fifth by Tristan Ciarlo was the only knock against the Blue Sox right-hander who struck out nine. The Chill offense managed to get on the board in the sixth inning against Michael Slayton. After the Blue Sox added a run in the top of the sixth to take a 7-0 lead, the Chill struck back with three runs coming across, scoring on a wild pitch, a pinch-hit RBI single by Isaiah Fleming and an RBI fielder’s choice for Tristan Ciarlo. The Chill scored another run in the seventh after Jhamante Woods doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Chuisano.
Angel Landazuri picked up the win for the Washington Blue Sox, while Fu-yuan Chang suffered the loss for the Palm Springs Chill. Both teams will enjoy a day off on Sunday for the Super Bowl and return to action on Monday with the Blue Sox hosting the Canada A’s at 10 a.m. and the Chill taking on the Palm Springs Power at 11:30 a.m.
CHINA 14 – 3 POWER
Team China’s offense was red-hot from the beginning as they blowout the Palm Springs Power 14-3 to get their 11th win of the season. Wu Haizheng was the starter for China while David Reckers was the first to pitch for the Power. After a 1-2-3 inning at the top of the first inning, China blew it open early in the bottom half. A hit by pitch, an error by second baseman Kazuya Ohira and a catcher’s interference had the bases loaded with one out. Reckers would walk in a run. An error by Jude Drzemecki scored another and Chen Jiaji singled in two more. Up 4-0, another walk and an RBI groundout made it five, where Hu Tian Yuan
would bring in two with a double in his second at-bat of the inning. One more would come in and China was up 8-0 in the first inning. Jacob Maiben would single in John Taylor in the top of the second to put the Power on the board. China responded with two more on a Jiaji RBI triple and a Luo Jinjun groundout to score Jiaji.
The Power scored another in the top of the third, Drzemecki singling in Assaf Lowengart but were still down eight. China scored three more in the bottom half on a Pei single and a Li Ning sacrifice fly to make it 13-2. No one would score until the fifth when China reliever Wang Xiang gave up two straight doubles to Drzemecki and John Taylor. China would score their 14th run in the bottom of the sixth, as Pei drove in another on an RBI single. China reliever Suo Xudi tossed a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to give China the blowout victory. China improved to 11-3 and are 0.5 games back of the Canada A’s for first place. The Power fell to 5-8 and have now lost two straight. Both teams will be back in action on Monday, where the Power will face the Chill at 11:30 a.m. at the Auxiliary field. China will be the only team on Monday playing twice, the first game at 9:00 a.m. against the British Columbia Bombers on the Auxiliary field and the second game at 12:30 against the Alberta Grizzly.
No CWL action this Sunday, but we’ll see you back at the ballpark on Monday for Margarita Monday! Enjoy delicious margaritas for only $5 all day long.
Fans can also tune in on the California Winter League YouTube to watch every 2025 stadium game live.
The California Winter League is the longest running professional showcase league of its kind. Since its inaugural season in 2010, the CWL has seen over 900 of its players sign professional contracts. Each year, it is the premier destination for free agent baseball players who are looking to be scouted and signed.
Stay up-to-date with the California Winter League at californiawinterleague.com or by following the CWL on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Palm Springs Stadium is located at 1901 E Baristo Road in Palm Springs.
For more information, visit californiawinterleague.com or call (760) 778-4487.
