PORTLAND, Ore. (July 24, 2026) – The Walla Walla Sweets did not need a big inning full of loud contact Friday night. They just needed to keep the line moving.

The Sweets erased an early three-run deficit, Alex Cohen delivered five scoreless innings out of the bullpen and Quade Gonzalez IV finished the night with 2.1 hitless frames as Walla Walla beat the Portland Pickles 5-3 at Walker Stadium.

The victory opened the three-game series and gave Walla Walla its third straight win, with each of the last two coming in comeback fashion.

Portland jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning, but the Sweets’ bullpen took over from there.

Cohen entered in the second and gave Walla Walla exactly what it needed. The right-hander turned in his deepest outing of the season, throwing five scoreless innings while allowing four hits and striking out five.

He worked around two walks, kept Portland from adding to its early lead and gave the Sweets time to work their way back into the game.

Walla Walla got on the board in the fourth.

Sam Kane reached and came around to score when Gunner Geile drove a double into left center field, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

The score held there until the seventh, when the Sweets put together the inning that changed the game.

Gaines Haussin was hit by a pitch to open the frame, and Geile followed with a walk. After Haussin moved up on a failed pickoff attempt, Jaylen Kennedy dropped down a bunt single to load the bases.

Austin Owens was then hit by a pitch, bringing Haussin home and making it 3-2.

Payton Knowles followed by working a bases-loaded walk, scoring Geile and tying the game. Trevor Tse was then hit by a pitch, bringing Kennedy home and giving the Sweets a 4-3 lead.

Walla Walla scored three runs in the inning on one hit, using patience, pressure and timely baserunning to move in front.

The Sweets added insurance in the ninth. Owens singled, stole second and later scored when Tse laid down a sacrifice bunt, pushing the lead to 5-3.

Knowles reached base four times, going 1-for-2 with three walks and an RBI. Tse drove in two runs, while Geile finished with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

Owens added a hit, an RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored. Kane, Royce Hale, Haussin, Kennedy, Gage Reeser and Knowles also recorded hits as eight of Walla Walla’s nine starters reached the hit column.

After Cohen’s five scoreless innings, Gabe Brabec handled part of the seventh and recorded a strikeout before Gonzalez took over with the bases on.

Gonzalez worked through the seventh, then stayed on for the final two innings to earn his first save as a Sweet. The right-hander did not allow a hit across 2.1 innings, walked one and struck out two in his longest outing of the summer.

Cohen, Brabec and Gonzalez combined to hold Portland scoreless over the final eight innings. The bullpen allowed only four hits during that stretch and struck out eight.

Walla Walla’s pitching staff finished with nine strikeouts and did not allow an extra-base hit after the first inning.

The Sweets also turned a double play behind the staff, helping keep Portland from rebuilding momentum after the early lead.

The win continued a strong stretch for Walla Walla, which has now won three straight games and found different ways to come back in each of its last two victories.

Walla Walla returns to Walker Stadium on Saturday, July 25, for game two against the Portland Pickles. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.