WALLA WALLA, Wash. (August 2, 2026) – The regular season home schedule came to a close Sunday night at Borleske Stadium with a pitchers’ duel and a strong return to the mound for DJ Kauahi.

Kauahi threw five shutout innings in his first appearance since June 18, but the Walla Walla Sweets were held quiet offensively in a 2-0 loss to the Portland Pickles.

The loss gave Portland the series after Walla Walla took Friday’s opener with a playoff-clinching 8-6 win.

Portland scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning, but Jacob Chandler settled in after the early push.

Making his third start of the summer, Chandler worked two innings and struck out three. He allowed two hits and one run before handing the game to the bullpen.

From there, Kauahi gave Walla Walla exactly what it needed.

Pitching for the first time in more than six weeks, the right-hander worked five scoreless innings and kept the Sweets within one run throughout the middle of the game. He allowed only three hits, struck out six and threw 44 of his 64 pitches for strikes.

Kauahi worked around two walks and a hit batter while keeping Portland off the scoreboard from the third through the seventh. His outing gave Walla Walla a major boost on a night when runs were difficult to find.

The Sweets had a few chances to answer, but Portland kept Walla Walla from putting together a sustained rally.

Cole Rogers singled from the leadoff spot, and Gaines Haussin added a hit in the middle of the lineup. Troy Osborne also singled, while Gunner Geile delivered Walla Walla’s lone extra-base hit of the night.

Geile drove a double the other way that one-hopped the left field wall, giving the Sweets a late baserunner as they continued to search for a breakthrough.

Walla Walla’s best chance came in the fifth inning. Osborne singled and Keagan Kelly worked a walk, putting two runners on with two outs. Portland escaped the inning, keeping the Sweets off the board.

The Pickles added an insurance run in the eighth, but Hayden Line and Rudy Larson helped Walla Walla keep the game within reach.

Line worked the eighth inning and allowed one run, while Larson handled the ninth and kept Portland off the scoreboard. Larson worked around two walks and retired the final batter of the inning to give the Sweets one more chance at the plate.

Walla Walla’s pitching staff combined to strike out nine and held Portland to six hits. Chandler, Kauahi, Line, and Larson also kept the Pickles without a home run and gave the Sweets a chance to stay close throughout the night.

The Sweets also played clean defense in their final regular season home game, finishing without an error behind the pitching staff.

Although the offense was limited to four hits, Kauahi’s return gave Walla Walla one of the night’s biggest positives. The right-hander’s five scoreless innings marked his longest outing since returning to action and gave the Sweets another strong arm to build on as the regular season moves into its final week.

The game closed Walla Walla’s regular season home slate at Borleske Stadium, where the Sweets clinched their first WCL playoff berth since 2019 earlier in the weekend.

Walla Walla now heads on the road for its final series of the regular season. The Sweets open a three-game set against the Marion Berries on Monday, August 3, at Chemeketa Baseball Field. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.