PORT ANGELES — A huge ninth-inning rally by the Lefties came up just short as six runs in the final stanza were not enough to catch Kelowna in an 8-7 loss.
It was the second straight close, exciting loss for the Lefties, who have already shown they can hold their own with the rest of the West Coast League.
Down 8-1 in the ninth the Lefties managed to get the tying and winning runs on base.
The Lefties (2-4) began their huge rally with singles by Brent Ryan and Austyn Tengan and a walk to Jake Portaro. Brody Kato drove in the first run of the inning with a single, then Sean Roby drove in another run with a walk to make it 8-3.
John Burghardt drove in a run with a single, then Marten Pauwells made it 8-5 with the second bases-loaded walk of the inning, chasing Kelowna’s closer Chase Wiger.
After a Wyatt Haccou strikeout, the Lefties were down to the their final out when Andrew Zmuda drove in Burghardt with a single to make it 8-6. Ryan, coming up for the second time in the inning, hit a single to drive in Pauwells.
Then, with Ryan and Zmuda on first and second, Kelowna was finally able to end the inning and get away with a win by getting Tengan to fly out to center.
Bryce Kato drove in the Lefties’ first run in the third inning with a single, bringing home Portaro, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
Tengan led the Lefties, going 3 for 6 at the plate with a run scored.
Bryan was 2 for 5 with a run, Roby was 1 for 4 with two RBIs and Burghardt was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Kato was 1 for 4 with an RBI, run scored and a stolen base. Portaro was 1 for 2 with two runs scored and Zmuda was 1 for 1 with an RBI.
After Kelowna scored seven runs in the first four innings, Issac Olson, Keiran Shaw and Trayson Kubo helped slam the door to give the Lefties the chance to come back. Olson gave up just one run in his last three innings, while Shaw went an inning and two-thirds, giving up just one hit and no runs. Kubo pitched a scoreless inning in the ninth.
The Lefties played Kelowna in the final game of their three-game series Wednesday after press deadline. The Lefties take the field tonight for the first game of three games against the Walla Walla Sweets at 6:35 p.m. at Civic Field.
Kelowna 8, Port Angeles 7
Kelowna3 1 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 — 8 9 1
PA 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 — 7 12 1
WP: LP:
Pitching
Kelowna — Bruno, 8IP, 6H, 1ER, 4K, 2BB; Wiger 0IP, 4H, 6ER, 3BB; Meiklejohn 2H, 0ER.
PA — Mundt 1IP, 4H, 3ER, 2BB; Olson 5.1IP, 3H, 4ER, 4K, 0BB; Shaw 1.2IP, 1H, 1K; Kubo 1IP, 1H, 2K, 1BB.
Hitting
Kelowna — Wright 2-5, 3R, RBI, 2SB; Malone 2-3, 2R, 2 2B, RBI; McGarry 2-4, 2RBI, R, 2B; Arpan 1-4, 2RBI, 2B; Daniels 1-4, 2R, 2B.
PA — Tengan 3-6, R; Bryan 2-5, R; Burghardt 2-4, RBI, R; Portaro 1-2, 2R, BB; Kato 1-4, R, RBI; Roby 1-4, 2RBI, BB; Pauwells 1-4, R, RBI, BB; Zmuda 1-1, RBI.
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Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
