By Joe Traub
For Peninsula Daily News
PORTLAND — Coming off three non-league contests in which they scored 35 runs on 42 hits to open the season, the Port Angeles Lefties suffered a reversal of fortune at the plate as they fell 3-0 in the West Coast League opener against the Portland Pickles.
A trio of Pickles pitchers limited the Lefties (2-2, 0-1 WCL) to three hits in Tuesday’s contest played before an opening night crowd of 2,213 at Walker Stadium in Portland.
Lefties starter Dwayne Angebrandt (0-1) pitched a good game, going five innings and giving up just one earned run on four hits. But he couldn’t get any run support and took the loss. Lefties’ pitchers gave up just eight hits and two earned runs.
The Lefties got their hits from Ronnie Rust, Trevor Rosenberg and Justin Fugitt, with Rust’s knock a double.
Rust was left on second base following a one-out double in the first inning and the Lefties missed a golden opportunity in the third to break through for a run. Alex Garcia and Trevor Rosenberg led off the inning with walks, but Portland starter Brad McVay coaxed a strikeout and inning-ending double play ball to get out of the jam.
Lefties threaten
Portland got to Angebrandt (0-1) in the fourth inning when Gabe Skoro doubled home John Arndorfer with the game’s first run. With two runners on base and just one out, Angebrant buckled down, getting a lineout and groundout to end the frame.
Port Angeles again put two runners on in the sixth after a leadoff single by Rosenberg. Ethan Goff was hit by a pitch with two outs to put runners on first and second. But Alexander Marco grounded out to end the threat.
The Pickles added another run in the sixth on an RBI double off the bat of Chase Luttrell to plate Arndorfer. In the seventh, Portland third baseman Kai Perreira-Alquiza created a run with his legs. He singled with one out and promptly stole second base. On the play, he took third when catcher Tommy Takayoshi’s throw went into center field and then scored after Ethan Groff airmailed his throw into the dugout.
The three-run lead was plenty for Portland’s pitching staff, who struck out 11 batters on the night.
Port Angeles played Portland on Wednesday after press deadline and finishes up the series today.
Lefties broadcaster Joe Traub will provide play-by-play on Facebook Live.
Portland 3, Port Angeles 0
PA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 2
Portland 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 x — 3 8 0
WP: McVay LP: Angebrandt SV: Josef
Pitching
PA — Angebrandt 5IP, 4H, ER, BB, 3K; Hamrick 1.1IP, 2H, ER, BB; Buchanan 0.2IP, H, K; Loewen 1IP, H, 2K.
Portland — McVay 4IP, H, 3BB, 7K; Mills 4IP, 2H, 3K; Morris 1IP, K.
Hitting
PA — Rust 1-4, 2B; Fugitt 1-3; Rosenberg 1-2.
Portland — Manzardo 2-3, RBI; Skoro 2-3, RBI; Heiser 1-3; Perreira-Alquiz 1-4, R; Luttrell 1-4, RBI.
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Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
