Martinez Sturgeon Capture Pacific Division Championship

The Martinez Sturgeon are Pacific Division champions after scoring six runs in the ninth inning to defeat the San Rafael Pacifics, 8-3, at Albert Park. The victory completed a two-game sweep of the championship series and sent Martinez forward as the Pacific Divisions title winner.

Martinez entered the ninth inning trailing 3-2 after San Rafael had protected a one-run advantage for four innings. Kyle Norton opened the decisive rally with a walk, and Jacob Klinovsky followed with a single. Josh Hardamon then tied the game with an RBI single that scored Norton and moved pinch runner Brayden Collett to third.

The Sturgeon took the lead with an aggressive championship-winning play. Hardamon stole second while Collett stole home, putting Martinez ahead 4-3. Paul Carreno followed with an RBI single, Jesus Marrero drove in another run with a groundout, and Andrew Curran delivered a two-run single that stretched the lead to 8-3.

Derek Murphy closed the game in the bottom of the ninth. After issuing a leadoff walk, Murphy struck out Payton Rios and Miles Bergman before getting Keith Whitaker to strike out swinging for the final out of the series.

Michael Pavelchak led the Martinez offense with three hits, two runs and two stolen bases. Carreno finished with two hits, two runs and an RBI, while Curran drove in three runs. Hardamon scored once, drove in the tying run and stole a base during the six-run ninth.

The Sturgeon pitching staff held San Rafael to only three hits and one earned run. Antonio Straughter allowed two runs, one earned, over four innings. Caughlin Shults delivered 3 2/3 dominant innings of relief, allowing one hit while striking out seven. Murphy struck out all three outs he recorded in the ninth.

San Rafael took an early lead when Fred Buckson singled home Keith Whitaker in the first inning. Martinez tied the game in the third and moved ahead in the fourth on Nick Thomsons RBI single. The Pacifics regained a 3-2 lead with unearned runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but they were unable to hold off Martinezs late surge.

The Sturgeon finished with 12 hits and drew nine walks. Their dramatic ninth-inning rally turned a close elimination game into a championship celebration and completed a 2-0 sweep of the Pacific Division Championship Series.