Sam Reel - LA MIRADA, Calif

For the first time this season, the Shepherds can officially say they are on a winning streak. After defeating the CageRats 11-4 the Sheps have now won three straight games.

Roy Washburn started the game for the Shepherds and was dominant throughout his six innings pitched. Throughout those six innings, Washburn allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and didn't walk anyone. In the first, Kyle Douphner drove in the first run of the game with a single. Washburn struggled to put batters away in the first as he threw 34 pitches in the first, but would settle down as he only threw 55 over the final five innings.

The CageRats's pitching couldn't slow down the Shepherds' bats for the second consecutive game. The Shepherds had 13 hits and were walked six times. Emry Jackson got things started in the bottom of the second by tying the game at one with an opposite-field single to left. Caleb Jung would score on a wild pitch to give the Shepherds a lead they would never surrender. In the third, the Sheps would pour it on with an eight-run inning where eleven men would come to plate. Sawyer Smith scored the first run of the inning after an error the second baseman. Tanner Smith and Tommy Acuna would follow soon after with back-to-back RBI singles. T. Smith would finish with three hits on the day. Chad Ragland would make it 6-1 with a sacrifice fly, Jackson would drive in a run with a double for his second RBI, and RBI singles by Will Cline and Sebastian Dunn would round out the inning.

Guz Zapata would have his second consecutive appearance where he would go two scoreless innings. Zapata was extremely efficient, only throwing 12 pitches over the two innings. In the ninth, Ragland would move to the mound and wrap up the win in his final appearance for the Shepherds this season.

The Shepherds have tomorrow off and will play again on Sunday.