Yakima Valley defeated the previously unbeaten Las Vegas Lions 12-5 and then defeated Lux Homes 10-4 in the final game of the night Saturday at Davis Field.

Yakima Valley (4-0 in the tournament) will play the Puget Sound Roxx (4-0) at 4 p.m. today at Parker Field.

The Pak got off to a good start against Las Vegas, scoring six runs in the first inning, including three that scored on Jake Fife’s two-out double.

Trevor Dallman also had three RBI for the Pak in the first game, while Cory Urquhart scored three runs.

Ethan Flory, Derek Welton and Thomas Wilcox combined to hold Las Vegas to just eight hits in the first game.

In the second game, Justin Windsor started things off with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. Urquhart helped the Pak play add-on with a two-run single in the fifth inning.

The Yakima Pepsi Beetles, the hosts of the tournament, will play for third place after defeating Bankers Baseball 10-7 Saturday at Parker Field.

The Beetles (3-1 in the tournament) scored four runs in the first inning using four consecutive singles, a sacrifice fly, a walk and an additional single to overwhelm the Bankers early.

Tyler Berman and Lucas Forgey had two RBI apiece, while Gibby Briones and Sean Pitt had multiple hits as well.

Yakima Valley 12, Las Vegas 5
Las Vegas              104    000    0    —    5    8    3
Yakima Valley    611    130    x    —    12    13    0
Hager, Barnes (3) and Tomassetti; Flory, Welton (3), Wilcox (7) and Snider.
Yakima Valley highlights:Trevor Dallman 2-2, 3 RBI, 3-run 2B in first (2 out) Jake Fife 3-4, 3 RBI; Garrett Olson 2-4, Kevin Allan 2-4; Urquhart 1-4, 2B, 3R.

Yakima Valley 10, Lux Homes 4
Lux Homes    031    000    0    —    4    6    0
Yakima Valley    510    0    31    x    —    10    7    4
Gilman, Grestad (5), Shafer (6) and Sui, Tremblah (5); Wilcox, Olson (4) and Brad Andreas.
Yakima Valley highlights: Justin Windsor 2-4, 2-run 2B in first; Urquhart 2-run single in fifth; Flory 2-3.

Yakima 10, Bankers Baseball 7
Bankers    003    012    1    —    7    10    3
Yakima    421    300    x    —    10    13    2
Keller, Babcock (5) and Andrews; Berman, Summers (4) and Lombardi.
Yakima highlights: Briones 2-3, Berman 2-2, 2 RBI; Lucas Forgey 3-4, 2 RBI; Sean Pitt, 2-2.

Saturday’s other results: Parker Field — Las Vegas 3, Clark County 2; Chaffey 12, Spokane 4 (6); Anderson Hay 14, Tacoma RBI 1 (5). Davis Field — Puget Sound Roxx 13, Tacoma RBI 0 (5); Puget Sound Roxx 11, Bellevue Honda 0 (5).
Today’s schedule: Davis Field — Spokane (0-4) vs. Tacoma RBI (0-4), 9 a.m.; Bellevue Honda (1-3) vs. Clark County (0-4), noon; Anderson Hay (2-2) vs. Lux Homes (2-2) 3:30 p.m.; Parker Field — Bankers Baseball (2-2) vs. Chaffey Homes (3-1) 9 a.m.; Yakima Beetles (3-1) vs. Las Vegas (3-1), noon; Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak (4-0) vs. Puget Sound Roxx (4-0), 4 p.m.

Foiled once, Avila figured he might as well do it again.

Moments after having the apparent game-winning hit land just foul Avila came through anyway, his long walk-off single giving the AquaSox a 3-2 victory over the Yakima Bears in 10 innings.

Avila went the opposite direction, putting a fly ball high off the left-field wall to score Ben Billingsley from second and send the AquaSox dugout streaming onto the field in celebration.

“I was pretty excited,” Avila said. “I was struggling the last couple of at bats, but I was just thinking about what I needed to do at the plate in that situation.”

Avila came up in the bottom of the 10th with runners at first and second and two out. On the first pitch from Pedro Rodriguez, Avila lofted the ball deep down the right-field line. However, when the ball dropped to the ground in the corner it was ruled foul, inducing a howl of protest from the festive holiday crowd of 4,079 at Everett Memorial Stadium.

“I was praying that ball would jump on the line,” Avila said. “But I never let my concentration get bad.”

Indeed, Avila kept himself in the at bat, and on a 2-2 breaking ball he reversed direction, sending a fly ball deep to left. He just missed ending the game with a home run.

“I saw his breaking ball earlier in the game,” Avila explained. “The first time he got me (to fly out to center) with a slider away. In that last at bat I was looking for the same pitch high and away, and I was able to drive it.”

Avila’s heroics rewarded what was a tremendous performance by Everett’s pitching staff, which combined on a four-hitter. Starter Taylor Stanton had his best outing as a member of the AquaSox, using a well-spotted fastball and a variety of breaking pitches to strike out eight in six innings. Then reliever Andres Esquibel had an electric debut for the Sox, allowing just one runner to reach via error and striking out four in three innings. Andrew Carraway picked up the win with one scoreless inning to improve to 2-0.

“Our guys are pitching great,” Everett manager John Tamargo said. “I can’t say enough about our starters, they’re all pitching well.”

Juan Fuentes homered for the Sox (9-6), who won their third straight to remain two games behind first-place Salem-Keizer in the Northwest League’s West Division.

Brent Greer homered for Yakima, which fell to 7-8. Rodriguez took the loss to fall to 1-2.

Yakima grabbed an early lead in the top of the first. Billingsley’s error on Ryan Wheeler’s two-out grounder to second opened the door, and two batters later Matt Davidson laced a double to left-center, scoring Wheeler and giving the Bears a 1-0 lead.

Everett tied it in the bottom of the second when Fuentes skied a solo home run to center field, making it 1-1 with his second homer of the season.

The Sox then went ahead in the fourth. With two out and nobody on, Everett managed to load the bases on two walks and a single. Then starting pitcher Brad Gemberling uncorked a breaking ball in the dirt that got past catcher Tyson Van Winkle, allowing Fuentes to trot home from third and make it 2-1.

But Yakima pulled back even in the sixth when Greer hit a line drive that cleared the left-field fence in a hurry, knotting it at 2-2 with his first homer as a professional.

— Nick Patterson/The Everett Herald

Metcalf outlasted Landon Shoemaker and Andrew Roberts to win the annual Demo Derby.

Washington paced a field of 14 cars to the finish line in the 20-lap Hornets finale.

Demo Derby

Fast time: Jake Breshears 18.068. B Dash: Mark Bess. A Dash: Bryan Moser. Heat 1: Donnie Stevens. Heat 2: Breshears. Powder Puff Heat: Crystal VanAmburg. Boat Race: Mark Bess. Officials Race: Ted Pollock.

Demo Final: Eric Metcalf, Landon Shoemaker, Andrew Roberts.

Hornets

Fast time: Tim Breshears 17.618. B Dash: Keith Erickson, Josh Parmentier, Anthony VanLeven, Nathan Voyles. A Dash: Josh Washington, Chris Marang, Breshears, Daniel Morfin. B Heat: Parmentier, Ryan Kallenberger, Melissa Maggard, Eric Coble, Erickson. A Heat: Jessica Tidrick, Washington, Michael Beck, Breshears, Morgan Morrison. Powder Puff Heat: Julie Melville.

Main event: Josh Washington, Greg Gargett, Parmentier, Coble, Marang, Maggard, Chris Morrison, Erickson, M. Morrison, Voyles, Kallenberger, Breshears, Morfin, VanLeven.

Friday, the Yakima golfer recorded his third career hole-in-one — with all of them coming on that very hole, this time using a 6-iron on the 170-yard shot.

Betty Gilmore witnessed the shot.

Hocker records Elks ace

SELAH, Wash. — Jeff Hocker scored a hole-in-one on Wednesday at the Yakima Elks Golf Club. Hocker’s sixth career ace came on the 172-yard 13th hole, using a 5-iron.

Mark Malland, Troy McNeight and Keith Grace witnessed the shot.

Lewiston Tournament

Yakima Blues 10, Boise Gems 0 (Yak: T.J. Sinn CG, 6 Ks 3 H; Tyler Niemeyer 2-4, 3 RBI; Andrew Gonzalez 1-2, RBI; Damon Lybeck 2-3; Justin Reyes 2-3, RBI)

Hyrum, Utah  4, Yakima Blues 3 (Yak: Marcus McClurkin 2-3; Nate Villegas 1-2; Guy Harwig 6 IP, 2 ER)

Big Bang Tournament

Salem, Ore. 22, West Valley Bees 0 (No highlights given)

Spokane Tournament

Yakima Valley Peppers 5, Mead 2 (YVP: Jake Evans CG, 5 Ks; ER; Alex Fickes 1-3, R; Kyle Fickes 1-3, R; Alan Knobel 2-3 R)

Yakima Valley Peppers 12, Central Valley 3 (YVP: Kurt Lindemann 6 IP, 1 ER, 2-4, 2 RBI; Alan Knobel 1 I, K; Chase Brader 2-4, 2 RBI, Nick Potvin 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Nate Hansen 2 R, 2 RBI; D.J. Smith 2-4, 3 RBI, 2 2B; Evans 1-3, R)

Yakima Valley 5, Canadian Diamond Backs 2 (YVP: Stephan Schmidt CG, 3 Ks, ER, 2-3, R; A. Fickes 1-2, RBI, R; Lindemann 1-2, 2 RBI, R)

Longview Tournament

West Valley Baseball Club 13, Evergreen (WVBC: Gil Plath, 2 Ks, W; Ty Gallaway 3-4; Sam Gallaway 2-4; Jake Vetsch 4-4)

West Valley Baseball Club 12, Hamer Electric 2 (WVBC:: Vetsch 6 Ks; Casey Crowshaw 2-4, 2 2B; Ty Gallaway 4-4, 2B).

Longview 5, West Valley Baseball Club 3 (WVBC: Ty Gallaway 2 RBI; Gil Plath RBI).

Tumwater 10, West Valley Baseball Club 9 (WVBC: Gil Plath 2-4, Jake Nell 2-5).

Little League

9-10 District Tournament

(At Pasco)

Selah National 13, Yakima National 9 (Selah: Montana Blehm 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Riley Quincy 1-2 2 RBI; Dac Archer 2B, RBI. Yakima: Jonathan Imperial 2-3, HR, 2 RBI; Holden Backes 1-4, 2 RBI; Matthew Stumpf 2 RBI.

And why not? He’d finished the race and he is also confident that enough pledges have come in to buy that specialized all-terrain wheelchair for injured Iraq war veteran Evan Mettie of Selah. He was so confident, in fact, that he said somebody should call Denise Mettie, Evan’s mom, to say she should start checking out those wheelchairs, because one will be on its way.

But let’s hear it from him:

Hi. Eric Bruntjen, Tour Divide rider, calling from Deming, New Mexico. All done with the race. Finished up last night on the 3rd, at 10 o’clock exactly. I think it was 10 o’clock and 18 seconds when I pulled into Antelope Wells.

Big day, about 175 miles, I think one of the other riders was saying, so I feel pretty good about that. Mother Nature gave us one last tweak and put some rain on my head — and a pretty stiff headwind, too. But when the sun went down, the moon came up, the rain stopped, the headwind calmed down, and I just let my legs go one last time.

So, good race, boy, thank you to my wife Melanee and my mother-in-law Fran … and my mom for watching the kids, for letting me go crazy on this … my buddy Frank for being remote support … Stephen Gleasner, wow, man, everything you said was right. Who knew that safety and security smelled like a moldy, wet, muddy bivvy sack, but you were right about everything. We’re going to commission a piece of art from you, I think — one of those plywood landscapes. Those are awesome. I’m going to commission one from you, inspired by the Tour Divide. So I’ll get in touch with you about that.

I think last night there were eight finishers. There were a lot of people there at Antelope Wells, a lot of family, and Kevin from Tucson was there, and all the racers that were coming in that day. So it was a special night at Antelope Wells, for sure. It’s an amazing race.

And there’s only one thing left to do, and that’s to thank all my sponsors. Holy cow. You know, I talked to some other racers who were raising money, but listen, nobody’s family and nobody’s hometown stepped up like mine. So, thanks to everyone for sponsoring me, and I think that we definitely raised enough money to get Evan a new all-terrain wheelchair. So congratulations to you. And someone call Denise, tell her to start looking for a chair, because we made it.

So I think I’ll be back in Yakima in a couple of days. Taking off tomorrow from El Paso. Thanks to Matthew Lee for putting on such a terrific race. It’s really an amazing adventure. So … I’m out. Bye.

For everybody who pledged to support Eric’s ride for Evan Mettie by sending your pledge e-mail to tourdechair@gmail.com, I salute you — now don’t forget that other part: to make our a check in your donation amount to the “Evan Mettie Donation” fund at any U.S. Bank.

Kind of fun to go along for the ride on something like this, huh? Thanks to Eric Bruntjen for bringing us along.

– Scott Sandsberry

It started out, Mike Bailey admits with all kindness, as sort of a joke. After all, Robbie Alter wasn’t a starting pitcher last year in his first season with the Yakima Pepsi Beetles nor was he while at La Salle.

Yakima's Gibby Briones, right, makes a running catch in front of teammate Max Kovatch during their game against Bellevue Honda on Friday afternoon at Parker Field. Photo by ANDY SAWYER/Yakima Herald-Republic

But when the June schedule stacked up and the extra-inning games began weighing on his staff, Bailey started searching for another arm.

“It was a little funny at first because we’d tease him about it,” Bailey said. “He hadn’t thrown in a full year, but we got to a point where we said, ‘Hey Robbie, how about taking the bump?”

On a hot Friday afternoon at Parker Field, Alter was as effective as a well-conditioned veteran with an eight-inning stint that helped carry the Beetles to a 4-3 win in 10 innings over Bellevue Honda.

Yakima rallied from a 3-0 deficit as Alter blanked Bellevue over his final five innings, and Nick Lombardi singled in Michael Calderon for the winning run in the 10th during the second day of the 28th annual Firecracker Tournament.

“I can’t remember the last time I threw eight innings,” said Alter, who struck out four and walked only one. “I like hitting — that’s my thing. But they asked me to pitch and that’s fine. It was a long day, but my team had my back.”

Matt Summers took over for Alter in the ninth and tacked on two more scoreless innings, setting up Yakima’s quick 10th. Calderon led off with his third single, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Lombardi’s lash to center.

Bellevue's Ross Kulczyk tags out Yakima's Will Scott, who was attempting to steal second. Photo by ANDY SAWYER/Yakima Herald-Republic

“It wasn’t pretty but we stayed in the game and battled at the end,” Bailey said. “We seem to find a way to make things interesting.”

The Beetles returned to the field for the Parker nightcap and had little left after the lengthy affair against Bellevue. Kohle McLeod pitched a five-hit shutout as the Puget Sound Roxx cruised to an 8-0 victory.

Puget Sound is 2-0 in the Firecracker’s American Division with two games remaining today before Sunday’s placing games. The Beetles (20-20) are tied for second at 2-1 with Bankers Baseball and those two teams meet today at Parker Field in the 7 p.m. game.

At Davis Field on Friday, Justin Johnson and Justin Windsor combined on a one-hitter as the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak blanked the Spokane Cannons 3-0.

Thomas Wilcox’s two-run double was the big hit in the first inning when the Pak did all its damage.

Yakima Valley (23-7) and the Las Vegas Lions are 2-0 in the National Division and they clash today at 4 p.m. at Davis. The Pak, which hasn’t allowed a run in two tournament games, follow with a 7 p.m. game against Lux Homes (2-1).

Parker Field will host Sunday’s top three placing games, capped by the championship game at 4 p.m.

Yakima 4, Bellevue 3

Bellevue    102    000    000    0    —    3    12    1

Yakima    002    000    100    1    —    4    13    3

Eck, Ansdell (8) and Madson; Alter, Summers (9) and Oswalt, Lombardi (7).

Highlights: Michael Calderon 3-4, sb, run; Nick Lombardi 2-2, RBI; Gibby Briones 2-4, 2b, 2 runs; Will Scott 2-3; Tyler Berman 1-3, RBI.

Puget Sound 8, Yakima 0

Puget Sound        002    06    —    8    11    0

Yakima        000    00    —    0    5    1

McLeod and Slaybaugh.Forgey and Lombardi.

Highlights: Will Scott 2-3.

Yakima Valley 3, Spokane 0

Spokane    000    000    0    —    0    1    1

Yakima Valley    300    000    x    —    3    5    1

Hammersley and Keeton; Johnson, Windsor (5) and Andreas.

Highlights: Justin Johnson 4 IP, 0 hits, 5 K; Justin Windsor 3 IP, 1 hit, 2 K, RBI; Thomas Wilcox 2-run 2b; Jake Fife 2-3.

FRIDAY’S SCORES

At Parker Field: Bankers 9, Tacoma RBI 0; Bankers 5, Anderson Hay 3; Yakima 4, Bellevue 3 (10 innings); Puget Sound 8, Yakima 0.

At Davis Field: Las Vegas 5, Chaffey 3; Chaffey 10, Clark County 2; Lux Homes 4, Spokane 2; Yakima Valley 3, Spokane 0.

TODAY’S GAMES

At Parker Field: Clark County vs. Las Vegas, 10 a.m.; Spokane vs. Chaffey, 1 p.m.; Anderson Hay vs. Tacoma RBI, 4 p.m.; Bankers vs. Yakima, 7 p.m.

At Davis Field: Tacoma RBI vs. Puget Sound, 10 a.m.; Puget Sound vs. Bellevue, 1 p.m.; Las Vegas vs. Yakima Valley, 4 p.m.; Lux Homes vs. Yakima Valley, 7 p.m.

That means the Bears, who might have welcomed some average things given their recent past, plus an announced overflow crowd of 3,119.

For 71?2 innings Yakima gave little indication of producing its own fireworks to accompany those already in progress at nearby Yakima Speedway, not to mention the ones that followed the camouflage jersey-clad Bears’ 9-4 triumph over Spokane.

Having sustained discouraging losses the two previous evenings, Yakima had managed only four hits and one run Friday, while banging into three double plays, and trailed by three starting the bottom of the eighth.

But Dan Kaczrowski, Brent Greer and Ryan Wheeler each singled in succession off Kevin Castner, the fourth Indians pitcher.

Then Matt Davidson, the Bears’ cleanup hitter, drew a walk to force in a run. So did No. 5 man Clayton Conner, who was down 1-2 in the count.

In came Sam Brown to relieve Castner (whose ERA sits presently at 59.40), and Gerson Montilla slapped a grounder to the right side. Indians first baseman Clark Murphy threw wildly toward second in an attempt to start yet another double play, and two more runs scored to put Yakima ahead, 5-4, for the first time.

Next came still another walk, to pinch-hitter Astolfo Inciarte, and then a two-run single by Jorge Corniel, his second hit of the night.

After a strikeout for the inning’s first out on its ninth hitter, Kaczrowski got his second hit of the inning, hammering an opposite-field double to drive home the final run of the Bears’ eight-run eighth.

That’s right, eight.

Who says a snowman can’t thrive in mid-summer weather?

“That was definitely huge for us,” said Kaczrowski, who finished 3-for-5 to raise his batting average to .319. “I was looking for a first-pitch fastball to get us started, and then we had some great at bats by a bunch of guys to keep it going.”

The Bears, who’d lost five of their previous six, thus squared their record at 7-7 heading into a five-game series at Everett. They’ll return Thursday for the first of five against Salem-Keizer.

“We were patient tonight,” manager Bob Didier said, “and that obviously worked to our benefit. And I’d still like to meet that guy who first said, ‘You never know.’”

Conner, who had flown out to deep center, fanned and grounded into a double play in his three prior at bats, might have been especially eager to swing from his heels in the eighth.

But, asked how hard he was squeezing his bat while facing Castner, Conner smiled and said, “Light as a feather. We needed runs and I had to be disciplined. To have that kind of an inning and win that kind of game, we needed that.”

In addition to the hitting heroics, the pitching of starter Chris Odegaard and relievers Justin Albert, Randy Hamrick and Brad Wilson loomed large.

“They kept us close,” Didier said. “We hated to use Wilson after getting a five-run lead, but we already had him warmed up.”

After a perfect two-strikeout, ninth, the right-hander from Cal Poly Pomona kept his ERA at zero through five appearances and eight innings. He has fanned 12 while walking one, and has yielded just two hits.

Spokane (5-9), which had won its last two to snap a six-game skid, got two hits each from Murphy and Tommy Mendonca, including the latter’s first professional home run.

“You lose some tough games like we have,” Didier said, “and you struggle and start to press a little bit. Maybe this will energize us.”

Opponent: Everett AquaSox.

When, where: 7:05 p.m. today, Everett Memorial Stadium.

Radio: KUTI (1460).

Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Brad Gemberling (0-0, 3.00) vs. Everett RHP Tyler Stanton (0-1, 6.48).

Notes

SMALL WORLD: Bears pitcher Justin Albert, a University of Vermont product by way of Hull, Mass., was pleasantly surprised to learn that he had family in Yakima when he arrived here with the Bears last month.

Jack Kerr, his grandfather’s brother on his mother’s side, lives in the area.

Albert said his grandfather, who has since passed, lived in Walla Walla.

“He must’ve had a hand in my being sent here,” Albert said, smiling.

SETBACK FOR BUTTON: Yakima infielder Evan Button’s recovery from an Achilles injury hasn’t gone as well as he and the Bears had hoped. It was initially planned for him to see action Friday night, but his debut has been pushed back to July 10, Button said.

OTHER BUMPS, BRUISES: Bears infielder Brent Greer, hit in the elbow by a pitch Wednesday night, was a late scratch from Thursday’s lineup. He was back in action Friday, however. And third baseman Matt Davidson is nursing a bruised right hand.

— Roger Underwood

Box score

Bears 9, Indians 4

SPOKANE            YAKIMA

ab    r    h    bi        ab    r    h    bi

Bndnna 2b    5    0    0    0    Kzrski lf-rf    5    1    3    1

Podraza lf    5    0    1    0    Greer ss    5    2    2    0

Mndnca 3b    4    2    2    1    Wheler 1b    2    1    1    0

Barto rf    3    0    0    0    Dvdsn 3b    2    1    1    2

Prince dh    2    2    1    0    Conner dh    3    1    0    1

Murphy 1b    4    0    2    0    Montila 2b    4    1    0    1

Puello c    3    0    1    2    Fie rf    2    0    0    0

Rhoad cf    3    0    1    0    Inciarte lf    0    1    0    0

Duron ss    4    0    0    0    Cornielc    4    1    2    2

Rdriguz cf    2    0    0    0

Wrthgtn cf    2    0    0    0

Totals    33    4    8    3    Totals    31    9    9    7

Spokane    100    100    020    —    4

Yakima    000    010    08x    —    9

E—Barto, Murphy, Montilla. DP—Spokane 3, Yakima 3. LOB—Spokane 7, Yakima 6. 2B—Podraza, Mendonca, Puello, Greer, Kaczrowski. HR—Mendonca. SB—Wheeler.

IP    H    R    ER    BB    SO

Spokane

Hurley    4    1    0    0    3    6

Campbell    1    1    0    0    0    1

Gruilon    2    2    1    1    2    1

Castner L,0-1    0    3    5    4    2    0

Brown    1    2    3    3    1    3

Yakima

Odegaard    5 2-3    6    2    2    3    0

Albert    1 1-3    1    1    1    0    1

Hamrick W,1-0    1    1    1    1    1    3

Wilson    1    0    0    0    0    2

Castner pitched to 5 batters in the 8th.

WP—Brown, Hamrick. HBP—Prince (by Odegaard). Umpires—Mullins, Roberts. T—2:45. A—3,119.

Standings

East Division

W    L    Pct.    GB

Tri-City (Rockies)    12    2    .857    —

Yakima (D-backs)    7    7    .500    5

Spokane (Rangers)    5    9    .357    7

Boise (Cubs)    3    11    .214    9

West Division

W    L    Pct.    GB

Salem-Keizer (Giants)    10    4    .714    —

Everett (Mariners)    8    6    .571    2

Vancouver (Athletics)    6    8    .429    4

Eugene (Padres)    5    9    .357    5

Friday’s results

Salem-Keizer 7, Vancouver 4

Everett 4, Eugene 3

Yakima 9, Spokane 4

Tri-City 12, Boise 0

Today’s games

Vancouver at Spokane, 6:30 p.m.

Yakima at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City at Salem-Keizer, 7:05 p.m.

Eugene at Boise, 6:35 p.m.

Sunday’s games

Yakima at Everett, 1:05 p.m.

Tri-City at Salem-Keizer, 5:05 p.m.

Vancouver at Spokane, 6:30 p.m.

Eugene at Boise, 6:15 p.m.

Kelly St. Martin added a homer for the winners.

In the early game, Peak Performance defeated Kimmel Athletic 7-3.

Peak Performance 7, Kimmel Athletic 3

Peak Performance    001    033    0    —    7    6    2

Kimmel Athletic    000    210    0    —    3    6    3

Fickle and Harris; George and Worrell.

Highlights: Darcy Fickle (PP) 2-3, RBI; Dave Deavert (KA) 2-run HR.

CH Robinson 18, JRW & Associates 11

CH Robinson        850    203    —    18    12    4

JRW & Associates        041    321    —    11    9    1

McCauley and Otterstein; Hite, Fischer (5) and Johnson.

Highlights: Hank Otterstein (CH) 4-5, 4 RBI; Dan Leslie (CH) 4 RBI; Brad Campbell (CH) 2-3, 4 RBI; Kelly St. Martin (CH) 2-4, HR; Ken Hite (JRW) 2-3; Mike McCay (JRW) 2-3, 3 RBI.

YOUTH BASEBALL

Big Bang Tournament

(At West Valley)

West Valley Bees 8, South Kitsap 0 (WV: Trevor Hunter 3-4 2b, Andrew Pfaff 2-3, Corey Onustouck CG, 5 K) .

Cadet Baseball Club 5, Spokane Rattlers 4 (Cadet: Michael Woodkey CG, 8 K; Josh Vickers 2 RBI).

Other scores: Bellevue 2, Lux Homes 1; Salem 9, North Corner 1; Salem 18, South Kitsap 1.

LITTLE LEAGUE

District 12 11-12 Tournament

(At Pasco)

West Valley 7, Selah National 4 (WV: Brian Stein 2-3, 2 2b, 5 RBI; Noah Morrow 2-2; Eli Valdez 7 K’s. WV vs. Yakima National on Sunday).

Twenty-two days ago, Eric Bruntjen, the 38-year-old information technology specialist from Yakima was one of 42 endurance athletes from around the world in the Canadian Rockies tourist town of Banff at the starting line of the 2,780-mile Tour Divide mountain bike race.

He was riding in hopes of generating enough per-mile pledges to purchase a specialized all-terrain wheelchair for profoundly injured Iraq war veteran Evan Mettie of Selah. For those three weeks and one day, people have been sending e-mails to tourdechair@gmail.com, with all pledge donations going to the “Evan Mettie Donation” fund at U.S. Bank.

Whether or not Eric Bruntjen reached that first goal won’t be known for a few days, until everyone who pledged to donate actually does so. (Or for anybody who has so far missed out on that part of this adventure to join in the party.) I think it’s going to happen, but for now that goal is still out there.

But tonight, Eric reached his other goal: He rode into Antelope Wells, a border crossing at the U.S.-Mexico border, slightly more than 21 days and 11 hours after he began. I believe he finished in eighth place – out of 42. None too shabby.

I imagine we’ll be visiting with Eric in a few days, after he’s had a chance to catch his breath, reconnect with his wife and two children and catch up on some well-earned sleep.

But right now, I think I’ll just tip my hat, raise a glass, offer a toast and say congratulations. If anybody has ever earned a Fourth of July worth celebrating, it’s Eric Bruntjen.

– Scott Sandsberry

He spent several hours in Grants Pass dealing with a tire issue that made it all but impossible to ride. He called his buddy and logistical aide Frank Hieber in a telephone call, was “sliced open.” It was really too bad, because Eric had that morning caught up with a couple of the five or six riders he had been gaining on for several days, which you know if you’ve been following the Tour Divide leaderboard.

We got a call-in this morning from Eric Bruntjen, which I’ll be posting below, but first I want to pass on something you might enjoy seeing — a photograph or two (if a technically challenged blogger such as myself can manage it when there are no IT guys around) — taken of Eric by an Albuquerque gentleman named Gordon Stalgren. Gordon, who had also been following Eric’s race progress online, drove over from Albuquerque to Grants, hoping to be able to say hello and perhaps raise Eric’s spirits a bit. The photos were sent to me by Gordon’s son, Glenn, an old college buddy of Eric’s who has been following Eric’s adventures both on the Tour Divide site and on this blog.

Photo courtesy of Gordon Stalgren

Thanks to Gordon Stalgren and especially to Glenn, because I’m sure people who have been following Eric’s trials and tribulations will be glad to know he can still smile. I’ll pass along some insights from Glenn below, but for now, without further adieu, here’s what Eric had to say when he stopped long enough in Silver City, N.M., to give us a call.

Hey, Eric Bruntjen calling in from Silver City.

A couple of real quick technical things. First of all, I know my brother’s following the race on the blog, so I want to wish him a happy birthday and I hope he gets better. You shouldn’t be riding those Jet Skis, Warner, you should be doing something safe like riding the Tour Divide with your little brother. [EDITOR'S NOTE No. 1: It sounds like Warner on the message, but if I heard it wrong and have the name wrong, sorry, oops.]

The other thing is, it occurred to me riding in the desert the other night that I hope I didn’t break the rules in Kremmling by accepting a ride in a car, borrowing that guy’s car. I talked to some other racers, they said no, that

Photo courtesy of Gordon Stalgren

was OK because I was off-route. Kremmling’s a couple miles off-route, and my bag was in the kind of dirt below the chipper plant there. But that’s on the other side of the river from where the route takes off, so … I think I’m good. But if anyone out there wants to check the Web site, read the rules and put my heart at ease, that’d be great. [EDITOR'S NOTE No. 2: If you haven't been following along over the past three weeks, don't worry, Eric wasn't cheating and using the car to get further along the course. He was backtracking on distance he had already ridden, to find a rucksack that included his tent and sleeping bag and had fallen from his bike (thanks to a broken clip) as he rode in a driving rainstorm.]

Other than that, I limped into Silver City with a busted front wheel. Just about everything bad that can happen to a tire and a wheel happened at the Wal-Mart in Grants. But I’ve got some tape on it and I’m limping to the bike shop to get a new wheel right now.

Spent the night last night up in the mountains with a Tour Divide fan named Kevin who drove from Tucson to come see the racers. And there were three other racers that I’ve been chasing since pretty much since Montana and Wyoming, were in that campground with Kevin. Pulled in there real late last night, came off the ridge chased by a lightning storm. Pretty wild ride down into the dark canyon. But everything turned out OK. Anyways, this thing’s not over until it’s over, but I got about 125 miles to go, I’m hoping to do it today, and finishing up.

I think I’m good on everything. I’m not eating as much, but that’s a good thing, and my next call will be from Antelope Wells. Bye.

If he finishes tonight as he believes he will, Eric will have finished this 2,780-mile beast of a mountain bike race in 22 days — three days faster than he’d hoped and a good week faster than I’d believed he could do it. Very impressive for a 6-foot-6, 225-pound, 38-year-old man.

But what I have learned over these three weeks, both from listening to Eric’s regular updates and from hearing from his friends, is that Eric is no ordinary guy. For one thing, not many other people I know would decide to take on such a profoundly physical and time-consuming challenge in order to raise money to buy an all-terrain wheelchair for a local veteran he had only read about in the newspaper.

Glenn Stalgren told me that Eric — who Glenn calls Brunch, a shorthand version of Eric’s last name — had asked him to do this Tour Divide race with him. Glenn, who has a 1-year-old son at home, didn’t think he could be away from home that long. “Of course, similar circumstances didn’t stop him,” Glenn wrote. Glenn also added a couple of little tales from their past history that should help give people yet more insight into how unstoppable a force Eric Bruntjen is. These are Glenn’s words:

In 1997 we rode from Canada to San Francisco on bikes, camping out along the way. Brunch saw the Pacific Coast, I saw his butt (I drafted off him the whole way). I guess that would’ve been against the rules in this race.

Another story about Brunch… He got in a bike wreck a few years ago. He cut his leg pretty bad and hurt his wrist. Finally after three or four days he went to see a doctor because the gash wasn’t closing. “That could’ve used stitches,” the doctor told him. “But’s it’s too late now. You’ll just have a big scar.” (He does). “That was quite a wreck. Hurt anything else?” Brunch mentioned his wrist, only after being asked. The doctor poked his wrist in a few spots and at one Brunch yelped. The X-ray confirmed the doctor’s suspicion. Brunch had a fractured wrist. Before he left the office, the doctor told Brunch, “You’re tougher than the average bear.” I can’t tell you how often I’ve thought the same thing returning from one of our adventures — him bounding and wanting more, me dragging myself from a hot shower and into bed.

That’s great stuff, and I’m very thankful to Glenn for passing it along, as well as the pictures.

I just checked the leaderboard and see that Eric — tire problems and all — has caught three of the six riders he’s been chasing for four states. They were 100 miles ahead of him a week ago. Now they’re eating his dust. Holy moly.

Kind of inspires you to want to donate a penny or two per mile toward Evan Mettie’s wheelchair by e-mail to tourdechair@gmail.com, doesn’t it?  I’m not sure enough have yet enough donations have come in to make that wheelchair a reality quite yet. And that would be a real bummer if, after all he’s been through over the last 22 days, those of us sitting here at home didn’t step up to the plate and do our part.

I’m just sayin’.

– Scott Sandsberry

YAKIMA, Wash. — It’s nothing Tim Hulett can put his finger on, and maybe he doesn’t want to.

Because the way things are going when his Spokane Indians oppose the Bears, why complicate matters?

“We’ve had a little success against them so far,” the Spokane manager said after his team’s 6-3 win Thursday night at Yakima County Stadium improved the Indians to 4-1 against Yakima and 1-7 against other Northwest League competition.

Roberto Rodriguez congratulates Gerson Montilla after he hit a homerun in the fourth inning against Spokane at Yakima County Stadium Thursday, July 2, 2009. (Kris Holland/Yakima Herald-Republic)

“They’re a good team and they have some guys who swing the bats well. But tonight, as a team, was the best offensive game we’ve had.”

The Bears? Not so much, before an announced crowd of 1,274.

A night after losing a two-run lead with Spokane down to its final four outs, Yakima managed only five hits — or one more than the Indians’ Aja Barto, who had three singles and a triple in five at bats.

Ex-Washington Stater Jared Prince and No. 9-hitter Denny Duron added two safeties each to the Indians’ 11-hit attack and newcomer Joe Bonadonna, just up from the Arizona League, had two RBI.

Gerson Montilla was the lone Bears’ standout, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer.

And Yakima, which a week ago was compiling a five-game winning streak and seeking a sweep of its five-game set with Eugene, must try to avoid the broom tonight against Spokane (5-8).

Bears catcher Tyson Van Winkle dives back to first base as Spokane's Jared Prince goes for the out in the fourth inning at Yakima County Stadium Thursday, July 2, 2009. (Kris Holland/Yakima Herald-Republic)

At 6-7, and having lost five of six, the Bears are under .500 for the first time since losing two of three last month at Spokane.

“It’s an up and down game,” Yakima manager Bob Didier said, “and we’re a little bit down right now. This was one of those games where not much happened.”

After Yakima got an unearned run in the first inning when Ryan Wheeler was hit by a pitch, took second on Matt Davidson’s single and scored on an error, the Indians scored four times over the next three innings.

Andrew Wolcott pitches for the Bears against Spokane in the first inning at Yakima County Stadium Thursday, July 2, 2009. (Kris Holland/Yakima Herald-Republic)

Two Bears errors contributed to Spokane’s two-run second. Vinny DiFazio’s double and Barto’s single plated another in the third, and a single, stolen base and Bonadonna’s two-out base hit made it 4-1, Indians, in the fourth.

The Bears answered in the bottom of the inning on Tyson Van Winkle’s infield single and Montilla’s two-out, no-doubt homer to left.

It was not only the first long ball this season for Montilla, but his first extra-base hit.

The Indians, however, posted two more in the sixth. After Ariel Brea walked two of his first three hitters that inning, Didier called on Alex Thieroff who yielded an RBI double to Duron and a run-scoring groundout to Bonadonna.

The Bears’ best shot thereafter came in the eighth, when Wheeler led off with a walk and Davidson’s potential double-play grounder was booted.

But Clayton Conner, who’d homered in his two previous games and launched multiple big flies Thursday in batting practice, was doubled up on a similar bouncer.

“That’s what happens when you’re going like we are right now,” Didier said. “When you’re going good and the other team kicks a ball like that, you score two or three runs.

“Tomorrow we’ll try a little bit different lineup. We have a nucleus of guys we’ll try to stay with, but we’ll also give some different guys some playing time.”