Rogues Sweep Potters, Build Momentum Into Humboldt Series
Medford is 20-7 overall, second in the Pacific Empire League conference standings and powered by one of the league’s most balanced lineups.
Tristin Ainsworth (45) works from the mound during Medford’s three-game home sweep of Lincoln. Photo by Anthony Nunez
Rogues Fast Facts
Record: 20-7 overall, 8-4 in conference play
Streak: Four straight wins
Latest: Three-game sweep of Lincoln
Team Batting: .300 average, .417 on-base percentage
League Leaders: Evan Saito, 24 stolen bases; Herman Luna, 5 wins
Up Next: Humboldt Crabs, Friday and Saturday at 6:35 p.m.
MEDFORD, Ore. — The Medford Rogues completed their first series sweep of the Lincoln Potters in franchise history Thursday, adding another milestone to a season that has increasingly positioned the club among the Pacific Empire League’s leading contenders.
Medford won the three games at Harry & David Field by scores of 6-3, 14-3 and 4-3, outscoring Lincoln 24-9 and extending its winning streak to four games.
The sweep improved the Rogues to 20-7 overall and 8-4 in conference play. Medford now sits second in the PEL conference standings heading into a two-game weekend series against the Humboldt Crabs.
Chanz Flores (19) takes a swing against Lincoln at Harry & David Field. Photo by Anthony Nunez
Rogues control series against Lincoln
Medford combined timely hitting, strong starting pitching and late-inning bullpen work throughout the three-game set.
The Rogues broke open Tuesday’s opener with a four-run fifth inning, then delivered their most decisive performance Wednesday with 14 runs on 13 hits. Thursday’s finale required a comeback, with Medford scoring three times in the seventh to erase a 2-1 deficit and complete the sweep.
Kian Sanchez powered the offense throughout the series, going 7-for-10 with six runs, eight RBIs, two doubles, a triple and his first home run of the season. He reached base nine times in 12 plate appearances and drove in the go-ahead runs during Thursday’s seventh-inning rally.
Chris Ortiz, Quinton Olson, Will Salihar, Travis Finney and Jackson Rosenthal were also among the contributors as Medford received production from throughout the lineup.
A Medford Rogues player reacts near the plate during the series against the Lincoln Potters. Photo by Anthony Nunez
The pitching staff kept Lincoln from mounting a sustained response. Wyatt Green and Forest Zelmer each delivered five-inning starts during the first two games, while the bullpen protected narrow leads in the opener and finale.
Josh Rodriguez recorded saves Tuesday and Thursday, including the final five outs of the sweep-clinching victory.
More than 2,200 fans attended the three games, with crowds of 771 Tuesday, 687 Wednesday and 805 Thursday.
Rogues climbing the standings
The sweep continued a season marked by consistent offense, depth throughout the lineup and a pitching staff capable of controlling games in several different ways.
Medford’s 20-7 overall record gives the club a .741 winning percentage. The Rogues are 8-4 in PEL conference games, trailing only the Healdsburg Prune Packers, who lead the conference standings at 13-3.
Humboldt sits just behind Medford at 11-6 in conference play. The unequal number of games played makes winning percentage particularly important, with Medford currently holding the second position at .667.
The Rogues have also created some separation from Lincoln, which fell to 8-8 in conference play after the sweep.
A Medford Rogues player lays out for a ball near the foul line during the three-game sweep of the Lincoln Potters at Harry & David Field. Photo by Anthony Nunez
Deep lineup driving Medford’s offense
Medford has scored 192 runs through 27 games while batting .300 as a team. The Rogues have a .417 on-base percentage, a .404 slugging percentage and 10 home runs.
The production has not depended on one hitter.
Six Medford players who have appeared in at least 16 games are batting .350 or better. Sanchez leads that group at .435, followed by Daniel Behrmann at .362, Evan Saito at .359, Jackson Rosenthal and Larsen Koester at .352, and Ortiz at .351.
Sanchez has emerged as one of the lineup’s most productive hitters after his dominant series against Lincoln. His combination of extra-base power and ability to reach base repeatedly was particularly important during the sweep.
Saito has provided a different kind of pressure. His 24 stolen bases lead the Pacific Empire League, six ahead of the next-closest player. He has also scored 16 runs while reaching base at a .482 clip.
Rosenthal, Koester and Ortiz have added consistency through the middle of the order, while players such as Finney, Diego Grabiel and Jaden Neugebauer have helped extend the lineup.
That depth was visible against Lincoln. Medford scored in a variety of ways, using extra-base hits, stolen bases, sacrifice flies and sustained rallies rather than relying solely on home runs.
Wyatt Green (40) delivers a pitch against Lincoln. Green worked five scoreless innings and struck out six in Medford’s 6-3 series-opening victory. Photo by Anthony Nunez
Starting pitching provides stability
The Rogues have also received steady work from the front of their rotation.
Herman Luna leads the Pacific Empire League with five victories. He is 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA through six starts and has worked 38 innings, the most on the Medford staff.
Zelmer is tied for second in the league with four wins. He improved to 4-1 by holding Lincoln to one run over five innings Wednesday.
Green has become one of the league’s most effective strikeout pitchers. He has recorded 33 strikeouts in 20⅔ innings, the fourth-highest total in the PEL, while allowing only 10 hits.
His 14.37 strikeouts per nine innings and 0.73 WHIP illustrate how difficult he has been to square up. Green’s five scoreless innings Tuesday came in his first start after previously working out of the bullpen.
Medford has also leaned on a deep group of relievers, including Rodriguez, Caleb Randolph, Tristin Ainsworth, Preston Daniels, Tyler Wilson and several others. That depth has allowed the Rogues to mix matchups and avoid placing the late innings on a single arm.
Crabs bring major weekend test
The Rogues will now face a Humboldt club with one of the league’s strongest overall records.
The Crabs enter the weekend 27-7 overall and 11-6 in conference play. Humboldt has lost three straight, while Medford has won four in a row, but the Crabs remain one of the PEL’s deepest and most productive teams.
Humboldt’s offense includes several league leaders.
Enyart leads the PEL with 39 RBIs and is tied for second with six home runs. Mullin also has six home runs and has driven in 25, while Shabry has added 25 RBIs.
The Crabs also feature one of the league’s top pitchers in Miranda, who has a 0.67 ERA and 41 strikeouts. Only Lincoln’s Santiago has recorded more strikeouts this season.
The matchup gives Medford an opportunity to strengthen its position near the top of the conference standings and test its recent form against a team with both offensive power and high-end pitching.
The Rogues and Crabs play at 6:35 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Harry & David Field. Both games are scheduled to be streamed through the Medford Rogues’ YouTube channel.
Cover image: A Medford pitcher delivers against Lincoln. The Rogues’ staff limited the Potters to nine runs across the three-game series. Photo by Anthony Nunez
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