PORT ANGELES — The Lefties came within one inning of a three-game sweep of Bellingham, but the Bells snapped Port Angeles’ five-game winning streak with a big seven-run top of the ninth, punctuated by Griffin McCormick’s grand slam.
In a game delayed for two hours because of rain showers Sunday afternoon, the Lefties took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning, looking for their sixth straight win, but the Bells got four hits, including a double, a walk and a hit batsman against D.J. Sutorius to make it 6-4. With two outs in the ninth, Matthew Dunaway came in to relieve and McCormick, who was 0 for 4 in the game, blew the contest open with a home run to make it 10-4. Sutorius had pitched four scoreless innings before the Bells erupted for their big inning.
The Lefties responded with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too big of a hole to come back from.
The Lefties got off to a nice start in the game, scoring two runs in the first inning on a David Langer two-run single.
Langer finished the game 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Matthew Christian was 1 for 3 with two runs scored and a walk, while Trevor Rosenberg was 1 for 5 with an RBI.
Avery Santos started the game for the Lefties, going four innings and giving up two earned runs on three hits and three walks.
Port Angeles is still in first place in the West Coast League’s North Division at 6-3, tied with Yakima. The Lefties played Cowlitz on Monday after press deadline and will face the Black Bears again at Civic Field at 6:05 p.m.
NOTE: Tennessee Tech’s Benny Kaleiwahea and Alex Junior just finished this weekend playing in the NCAA Super Regional against the University of Texas. Both Kaleiwahea and Junior were stars for the Lefties last summer.
Bells 10, Lefties 6
Bells 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 — 10 10 3
Lefties 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 — 2 6 6
WP: Kay LP: Sutorius
Pitching
Bells — Smith 5IP, 2H, 2ER, 3BB, 5K; Kay 3IP, 3H, ER, BB, 4K; Davis 1IP, H, ER, K.
Lefties — Santos 4IP, 3H, 2ER, 3BB, K; Sutorius 4.2IP, 6H, 6ER, BB, 3K; Dunaway 0.1IP, H, ER.
Hitting
Bells — Morrison 3-6, 2R; Stoner 2-4, R, 2RBI; Yake 2-4; McCormick 1-5, HR, R, 4RBI; James 1-4, 2B, R, 2RBI.
Lefties — Langer 2-4, 3RBI; Christian 1-3, 2R; Rosenberg 1-5, RBI; Pace 1-3, R; Brown 1-1, 2B, R.
