Schultz stymies Gems, finishes Knights' sweep.
August 4, 2011
Pitcher Scott Schultz (pictured) helped Corvallis lengthen its West Division lead with a strong outing in his first start to complete a sweep of Klamath Falls.
The Knights won the opening game 2-1 in nine innings. They then took the nightcap 6-1 in the scheduled seven innings behind Schultz and relievers Kyle McNutt and Mitch Patito, who combined on a one-hitter.
Corvallis (31-15, 29-15 WCL) won its sixth consecutive WCL series, improved to 15-3 in its last 18 games, and stretched its lead over second-place Bend by four games with 10 remaining in its quest for a fourth straight West Division regular-season championship.
Schultz had made 11 consecutive relief appearances before Thursday as the Knights gave him plenty of time to rest and recover from a busy spring at Oregon State, where he threw 52.1 innings in 21 appearances. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.
"With starting I know what I have to do beforehand, and how to control the situation," he said. "I was getting ahead with my fastball and mixed in my slider well."
His error helped Klamath Falls take a 1-0 lead in the third but two misplays by third baseman Graham Saiko helped the Knights surge ahead in the bottom half. Saiko's bases-loaded, two-out throwing error allowed the Knights to tie the game 1-1, and Ryan Gorton followed with a bases-clearing double for a 4-1 lead the Gems could not overcome.
Catcher Dane Lund added two RBI singles and relievers Kyle McNutt and Mitch Patito combined for three scoreless innings.
In the opener, Corvallis third baseman Jimmy Allen scored the winning run in the ninth on a two-out wild pitch by Gems (16-28) reliever Josh Farrell. Allen singled with two outs, moved to second on a walk, took third on a double steal and came in when Farrell's 1-1 pitch to Kramer Scott eluded catcher Drew Sandler.
Gorton had the Knights' lone RBI. Knights' starter Kyle Hart allowed one run on two hits over five innings, with six strikeouts, in a strong bounceback performance from his last start. Relievers Ben Wetzler and Mark Trentacosta added two scoreless innings and Trentacosta got the win.
Corvallis stretched its lead to six games over third-place Cowlitz in the West Division. The top two teams advance to the best-of-three divisional playoffs, which start on Aug. 12; Corvallis reduced its magic number to qualify for the playoffs to four.
The series concludes at 6:40 p.m. Friday on Cap Night, presented by the Mario Pastega House. The projected starters are Max Beatty (5-1, 2.38) for the Knights and Nathan Bunch (3-2, 2.14) or Steve Schoonover (1-2, 2.21) for the Gems.
