Portland Pickles rally late to take Game 1 in Salem

The Portland Pickles rallied to defeat the Marion Berries 4-3 in the opening game of the West Coast League playoffs on Friday night in Salem. After trailing 3-2, Josh Schleichardt's eighth-inning home run leveled the score. Conner Stewart's lead-off single in the ninth prompted a pitching change for the Berries, and a wild pitch advanced him to third base. Tanner Griffith then hit a ground ball that allowed Stewart to race home with the winning run. Despite putting the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth, the Berries could not capitalize, as Carter Speights struck out the last batter to secure the victory.

Dylan Smith, the starting pitcher for the Pickles, struck out four batters over five innings. The Pickles aim to build on this momentum as they host the Berries in Game 2 at Walker Stadium. In the other playoff matchup, the Bend Elks defeated Corvallis 7-5 in their opening game.