Patito earns clutch 2-inning save in 8-7 win over Elks.

Merrick Patito (pictured) filled a void in the Corvallis bullpen with a two-inning save and the Knights doubled their South Division lead over Bend with an 8-7 win on Tuesday night.

With customary closers Brandon Choate and Joey Wise unavailable, Patito took over in the eighth with the Knights clinging to an 8-7 lead. He walked the first batter, who, following a strikeout, was gunned down by Dane Lund attempting to steal for the second out. Patito then retired the final four Elks in order for his second save.

The Knights (32-15 all, 28-15 WCL) now lead the second-place Elks (26-17) by two games in the South Division pennant race, with 11 games to play. The division champion earns an automatic playoff berth.

"It feels good to get my second save against Bend," said Patito, a rising sophomore at Chaffey (Calif.) College who had a three-inning save at Bend on June 7 in a 7-2 victory in the Knights' second game of the summer.

"They're a good ballclub. It's important for us to get a two-game lead on them. Our pitching will have to stand up to take this series. They hit well."

The Knights led 2-0, trailed 4-2, and then surged ahead 7-4 before the Elks countered with three runs in the seventh to forge a 7-7 tie. However, designated hitter Joe Duffin scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the seventh to give the Knights the 8-7 advantage Patito admirably protected.

Left fielder Dalton Kelly slammed a solo homer in the third, his fifth of the summer. Second baseman Marc Gallegos added a three-run bomb in the fifth, his third, when the Knights scored five times to charge ahead 7-4.

Duffin doubled twice and singled; first baseman Kevin Kline was 2-for-5 and drove in two to retake the WCL lead in RBIs with 40. Third baseman Jackson Soto doubled and singled.

Corvallis starter Justin Calomeni was touched for five runs and seven hits over 6.1 innings. He had a season-high nine strikeouts, but got a non-decision when the bullpen couldn�t protect a 7-4 lead.

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Wednesday. Either right-handers Jason Snodgrass (3-1, 4.28) of Concordia or Jake Otness (0-0, 0.00)of Pacific Lutheran will start for the Knights.

Tuesday's crowd of 1,312 raised the 2014 total to 32,303 in 26 openings. That's 1,398 less than in 2013 through a corresponding number of home dates; the Knights drew a franchise record 43,557 fans last summer.