Tree Huggers Stretch Their Branches Past AppleSox for First W of the Season
2026-05-30
Edmonton combines for 10 runs to even the series against Wenatchee
Box ScoreBy Cody F. Schmidt
After the Wenatchee AppleSox locked down the back half of last night’s game, the Edmonton Riverhawks came back to RE/MAX Field looking to balance the 2026 West Coast League’s season opening series. To bring the good vibes to the field this evening the Riverhawks debuted their 2026 alternate identity: The River Valley Tree Huggers.
The Hawks proved to have strong roots as they held on to an early lead to emerge victorious with a 10-7 win over Wenatchee. Jaxon Fox and Easton Andrews each notched two RBI games, while Matt Vanslyke reached base four times. With Derek DeVos starting the game and tossing 3.0 clean innings the bullpen took over and handled the rest of the game, including a two inning appearance from Alan Gonzalez to close out the game and earn the win.
#23 Derek DeVos got the game underway for Edmonton on the mound, but a pair of errors led to a free run for the AppleSox. An E5 meant that Wenatchee’s second batter could reach first by beating out a bobbled throw, then after stealing second, came home on a missed pickoff. A sac fly sent another runner home before DeVos could close the top with a strikeout looking.
#13 Jaxon Fox led off the Hawks’ half of the 1st with a base hit straight up the middle, then advanced on a passed ball. #25 Matthew VanSlyke followed up with the second hit of the inning then #36 Mitchell Middlemiss walked to load the bags. #42 Marvin Hill earned an RBI with a liner to left, before #51 Easton Andrews drove the ball 352 feet to the right field wall with a 2RBI double to take the lead. #1 Shiryu Sato continued the game-opening rally with a single to short, and an AppleSox balk sent Andrews home. As the Hawks batted around in the 1st, #34 Tony Moore drove home Sato with a double to chase Wenatchee’s starter.
DeVos stayed strong, holding Wenatchee to just one hit across his next two innings, before being replaced in the 4th by #60 Heath Hachkowski. Heath tossed a clean inning with a single base on balls issued. The Hawks sprung back to the scoreboard in the bottom of the 4th as Tony Moore reached second on a fielding error, then after being pushed to third base from a fielder’s choice, he dashed home on a wild pitch for Edmonton’s seventh run.
The 5th served Hachkowski a bit of trouble as Wenatchee was able to score off of a sacrifice flyand a throwing error on a groundout. After issuing his third walk, Hachkowski was swapped out for #6 Ryuga Sakamoto who earned the last out of the inning. The Riverhawks attempted to regain some insurance in the 5th, but only Sato was able to reach base. Sakamoto’s 6th featured Wenatchee laying down multiple bunts to clog the basepaths leading to an outfield single tying the game. Catcher #29 AJ Marchetti fired a missile down to second to catch a runner trying to steal, and helped seal off further damage.
#12 Riley Starko got the assignment with a new ballgame in the 7th, and faced a similar litany of bunts as Sakamoto did. Thankfully, Starko was able to hold the AppleSox to just a walk in just 14 pitches. Mitchell Middlemiss broke the tie in the 7th (after VanSlyke was walked) with a deep drive to right pushing VanSlyke from first to home.
The 8th belonged to #53 Alan Gonzalez, and he only required four pitches to retire the side with a pop out, a fly, and a grounder. His brother #58 Omar Gonzalez led off the bottom half as a pinch hitter, and worked an 0-2 count all the way into a walk. #20 Oliver Clements hit the bag as a pinch runner for Omar and stole second before #32 Jason Green (who had entered the game as a pinch hitter in the 6th) earned a walk of his own. Moore sac bunted to move both runners into scoring position in time for Fox to pad the lead with a 2RBI single and put a cap on the Riverhawks’ 10-run game. Alan Gonzalez returned to the bump to finish off the game with a trio of strikeouts and to earn the game win.
The tied series will conclude tomorrow afternoon with Paws in the Park. It won’t just be human Hawks fans lining the stands, but the canine ones too. Go over to tickets.gohawks.com and snag a spot in the bleachers for you and your pooch!