Playoff Tickets: Punched
SF Giants Minor Lines, June 12-14, 2026
Photo Credit: Richmond Flying Squirrels
By Sunday night there was a feeling of anti-climax that had crept into the weekend. Fatigue was clearly setting in — but the good kind of fatigue, the kind well-earned from a long, hard struggle. Saturday and Sunday descended into a lassitude of low-energy losses (the four full-season clubs went 2-5 over the final two days of the weekend) and weather delays.
But oh, that Friday night feeling! Four days after Eugene clinched its repeat appearance in the NWL Championship series in September, both Richmond and San Jose did the same thing just hours apart on Friday. Indeed, not that many hours — as Richmond had to wait out a lengthy rain delay to be officially handed their crowns. It was a night of bi-coastal celebration that really cemented the outstanding work done in the organization over these past two months. Richmond’s victory was long in coming and heavy on expectation — they opened the season with a rush, putting together the longest winning streak in franchise history almost immediately out of the gates. From there on out, it was a matter of keeping focused, keeping energy levels up, and persevering through a tremendous roster attrition — a victim of their own success as Manager Dennis Pelfrey would say (Pelf, by the way, reached the 300 Win milestone as a Richmond manager with that clinching victory; congratulations, Pelf, though I know you would deflect it if I gave it in person).
San Jose, on the other hand, seemed like they were on the verge of slipping away just three weeks ago. A series of bullpen collapses had knocked them into 2nd place, and they faced a tough Fresno club on the road. After yet another late-inning meltdown cost them the first game of that series, things were starting to look a little glum. But the team rallied admirably, taking the final four games in Fresno to regain 1st place, and then put on a finishing kick that ultimately nabbed the top spot with plenty of room to spare, clinching with five games remaining on the 1st half schedule.
Congratulations to all the kids who worked so hard to accomplish this. Congratulations to the guys like Diego Velasquez, who has been part of a lot of losing in three years with Richmond before enjoying this run. And congratulations to the guys who weren’t on hand to spray champagne, but who played crucial roles in that champagne being there — Scott Bandura and Drew Cavanaugh, Jonah Cox, and Joe Whitman and others. As Pelf told his troops: enjoy the [redacted] of it!
HITTER of the WEEKEND: Trevor Cohen (Eug), 4 for 8, HR, 2b, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, SB
PITCHER of the WEEKEND: Trystan Vrieling (Rich), 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
