The Kelowna Falcons honoured the women and men of the RCMP on Saturday night at the ballpark and were even treated to the police helicopter landing in centerfield to deliver the game ball.

Unfortunately, the home team couldn’t hold the lead late in the game and fell to the Portland Pickles 9-5 at Elks Stadium.

After the Pickles took the lead in the first inning, the Falcons came back in the third to score three runs and took the lead. Matthew Pena scored Lucas Scott with a sac-fly to get the offence going, then Trevor Wilson recorded a two-out double later in the inning to plate Aidan Kuni and Sam Flores.

The Pickles got a run back in their next at bat before the Falcons added two more in the fifth.  Pena was at it again and smoked a 3-2 pitch over the rightfield wall for a two-run homer, his second of the season.

The bullpen, however, couldn’t hold the lead allowing seven runs in the final three innings and the Pickles went onto even the series.

Pena and Scott each tallied a pair of hits and Pena had three RBIs.

The series rubber match is on Sunday at 6:05pm with JJ Hollis the scheduled starter for the Falcons.  It’s also a Taylor Swift qualifying night, fans have an opportunity to quality to win tickets to her show in Vancouver in December.   Gates open at 5:00pm with the first pitch scheduled to 6:05pm.  Tickets online are available HERE.

Photo courtesy of Tami Quan Photography