Rogues End Skid With Sunday Sweep
Medford’s 11-game winning streak ended during a rough home stretch, but the Rogues answered with a Father’s Day doubleheader sweep over Solano.
MEDFORD, Ore. — For the Medford Rogues, last week was not just about wins and losses. It was about how quickly a summer baseball season can turn, and how a team responds when the easy rhythm finally breaks.
The Rogues entered the week riding an 11-game winning streak, one of the strongest starts in the club’s recent run at Harry & David Field. By Saturday night, that streak was gone, replaced by four straight losses, a taxed pitching staff and a reminder that Pacific Empire League play rarely allows a team to coast.
By Sunday evening, though, the week had changed shape again.
Medford closed the homestand with a Father’s Day doubleheader sweep over the Solano Mudcats, winning 9-3 in the opener and 12-6 in the nightcap. The two wins helped the Rogues steady the week, improve to 13-5 overall and begin league play at 2-2.
The week opened Wednesday against the California Tigers, who jumped on Medford early and ended the Rogues’ winning streak with a 10-4 victory. California scored four runs in the first inning and kept pressure on Medford throughout the night. The Rogues answered with runs in the third and fifth innings, but never fully climbed back into the game.
Medford Rogues infielder Nolan Donivan applies a tag at third base during last week’s home series against the California Tigers at Harry & David Field. Photo by Anthony Nunez.
A night later, the Tigers again made Medford chase the game. The Rogues scored first in the second inning, but California answered with four runs in the third and seven more in the fourth on the way to a 16-5 win. Anthony Thomas Jr. provided one of Medford’s biggest swings of the week with his third home run of the season, but the Tigers’ offense controlled the night.
Friday brought the start of Pacific Empire League play and a new opponent, but Solano arrived with the same early-inning pressure. The Mudcats scored seven runs in the first inning and held off Medford for a 12-6 win in the series opener. The Rogues did put together a stronger offensive night, with RBI hits from Larsen Koester and Chris Ortiz helping Medford cut into the deficit, but the early hole proved too large.
Saturday’s Little League Night brought another strong crowd to Harry & David Field, but the Mudcats again did their damage early and late. Solano scored three runs in the first inning, then added seven more across the seventh and eighth innings to beat Medford 11-2. Evan Rhoden gave the Rogues a more stable start on the mound, working six innings and striking out six, but Medford’s offense was held to five hits.
That left Sunday’s Father’s Day doubleheader carrying a little more weight than a normal June twin bill. The Rogues had lost four straight and were looking for something to reset the week before the next series arrived.
They found it in the opener.
Herman Luna gave Medford exactly what it needed, throwing a complete game in a 9-3 win. Luna worked all seven innings, allowing three runs while giving the bullpen a needed break after a demanding stretch. It was the first complete game by a Rogues pitcher since Dylan Fanelli went the distance last season at home, according to the team.
The offense backed him with one of its cleaner responses of the week. After Solano scored first, Medford answered in the bottom of the first and later broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning. Koester drove in a run, Ortiz added a two-run double, and the Rogues added insurance in the fifth and sixth.
Medford carried that momentum into the second game. Solano led early after a two-run home run from Derek Bartram and another run in the third, but the Rogues answered with an RBI double from Thomas before taking control in the middle innings. Medford scored twice in the fourth, then erupted for seven runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to finish the 12-6 win.
The Sunday sweep did not erase the rough stretch that came before it, but it did give Medford a much better ending to the week. The Rogues went from being knocked off rhythm by California and Solano to closing the weekend with sharper at-bats, steadier pitching and the kind of response that matters over a long summer schedule.
Through the latest posted team statistics, Medford is batting .291 with a .413 on-base percentage and .383 slugging percentage. Diego Grabiel has helped lead the offense with a .414 average, while Travis Finney, Evan Saito, Daniel Behrmann, Jaden Neugebauer, Chris Ortiz and Koester are all hitting above .330 in the posted season totals. Thomas has supplied power in the middle of the order with three home runs.
The Rogues have also continued to draw strong support at home. Through the available team profile numbers, Medford leads the league in home attendance, with 14,950 fans through 16 posted home dates and an average of 935 per game.
Medford returns to Harry & David Field on Tuesday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 24, for two games against the West Coast Kings. First pitch Tuesday is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Cover image: The Medford Rogues play under a summer sunset at Harry & David Field, where they ended a four-game skid with a Father’s Day doubleheader sweep over Solano. Photo by Jake Martin.
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