Pippins capture rubber game, take series vs. Knights.

South Division rival Yakima Valley defeated Corvallis 7-3 on Sunday at Goss Stadium in the rubber game of their West Coast League series.

The Pippins (19-14 WCL, 4-2 second half) thus handed the Knights (25-11 all, 19-11 WCL, 1-2 second half) their first series loss since June 8-10 at Wenatchee. They had won six in a row before Sunday.

Third baseman Matt Kelly (pictured) of Portland singled twice and center fielder Kyle Nobach (Oregon State) had a two-run triple and for the Knights. They scored three times in the eighth to halve a 6-0 deficit, but they were retired without incident in the ninth.

Yakima Valley scored twice in the second and then added on following a 1:13 rain delay in the third inning, the longest such stoppage in the team's 10-year history in Corvallis. The Pippins added two more in the sixth and single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to win comfortably.

The Knights conclude the homestand at 6:40 p.m. Monday with a nonleague game against the Salem Capitols of the Oregon Collegiate Baseball League. It is Papa's Pizza Slice of Fun Night, presented by IBEW 280; the first 250 fans through the gate receive a free slice of Papa's pizza.

Corvallis resumes WCL play at Walla Walla on Tuesday. Its next home league series is this Friday-Sunday against Cowlitz.