The Sweets entered the game coming off a 7-3 victory in the opener, but Portland had other plans early in game two. After Petey Soto Jr. walked and advanced to third on a single and a fielder’s choice, Tony Otis drove in the game’s first run with a two-out RBI single to center. It marked the Pickles’ first lead of the series.

Portland kept the pressure on in the second inning. Evan McGuire reached on a one-out walk, and after a flyout, Soto Jr. was hit by a pitch to put two on. Kyle McDaniel followed with a double to center, scoring McGuire to extend the lead to 2-0. After going hitless the night before, McDaniel finished 2-for-4 with a walk.

Walla Walla’s offense finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Dominic Cadiz launched his team-leading fifth home run of the season to left field, cutting the deficit in half. The blast moved Cadiz into a tie for third in the West Coast League in homers.

Sweets starter Nakoa Moses-Gomera worked 4 2/3 innings, striking out a season-high six while allowing two earned runs. He earned Cascade Natural Gas High Efficiency Player of the Game honors for his effort.

In the bottom of the fifth, Walla Walla evened the score. Zane Bidwell reached on a leadoff error, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Troy Sanders drew a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Cole Rogers moved both runners up, and after Trevor Tse was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Portland turned to reliever Carter Speights. Gunner Geile stepped up and delivered a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Bidwell to tie the game 2-2.

The bullpens traded zeros the rest of the way. Kolby Solomon, Lucas Dixon, and Dylan Torres combined for 4 1/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief with four strikeouts for Walla Walla.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Sweets had a chance for their fourth walk-off of the season. Billy Scaldeferri, pinch-hitting for Nate Stiveson, worked a leadoff walk. Jacob Talbot entered for Bidwell and dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Sanders reached on an error by the third baseman to put two aboard, and after Rogers flew out, Tse legged out an infield single to second. A throwing error on the play allowed Scaldeferri to race home with the winning run.

With the win, Walla Walla secured its fourth home series victory of the season and remained undefeated in series at Borleske. The Sweets will go for the sweep Thursday at 6:35 p.m. Coverage begins at 6:15 on the Walla Walla Sweets YouTube channel.