Knights steal 5-2 win at Kitsap, take series.

Starter Mitch Patito (pictured) pitched four outstanding innings and the Knights used daring baserunning to break a 2-2 tie in the ninth to steal a 5-2 victory versus the BlueJackets.

The Knights thus took the West Coast League series; they prevailed 1-0 in Monday's opener.

In the decisive ninth, a bases-loaded suicide squeeze by Trent Oleszczuk established a 3-2 lead. David Armendariz then stole home on a pitch that eluded catcher Spencer Brann, and Matt Nylen scored right behind Armendariz when Brann could not retrieve the ball in time.

Knights' reliever Mark Trentacosta then pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his third save. It was the ninth win in their last 11 WCL games for the Knights (13-7, 12-7 WCL), who now lead the West Division by a full game over Kitsap (14-10).

A reliever at UC Riverside who is being groomed as a starter next spring, Patito allowed just one hit, a bad-hop single that stuck third baseman Corey Moore in mouth. He used his changeup effectively off his fastball, had four strikeouts and threw 35 strikes in 55 pitches.

The Knights took a 2-0 lead in the fifth when Corey Davis scored on the back end of a double steal, and when Armendariz scored from third on a throwing error on Oleszczuk's steal of second.

Relievers Eric Young and Scott Schultz protected that advantage until the Blue Jackets ended 16 consecutive scoreless innings with two runs off Schultz in the eighth.

In the ninth, however, Kramer Scott bunted safely to lead off and was sacrificed to second. Armendariz was walked intentionally to set up a double play; Nylen was walked intentionally to load the bases after Scott and Armendariz moved up a base on a double steal.

Oleszczuk squeezed Scott home, and Armendariz and Nylen scored on a 3-1 pitch with J.K. Dykes at bat.

The series concludes at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday. Lefty Dylan Stuart of UC Riverside (1-0, 0.00) will start for the Knights, opposed by Richie Mascheri (4-0, 2.36) of Western Illinois for Kitsap.

The next Knights' home game is a Block 15 Thursday on June 30 against the two-time defending WCL-champion Wenatchee AppleSox. It's also Albany Night, presented by Samaritan Health Services, and Halloween in June; all fans are encouraged to come in costume.