PORT ANGELES — The Lefties got two home runs from Brady Heid and held on to fend off a Victoria rally to complete a three-game sweep of the HarbourCats with a 9-7 win.
The Lefties scored 26 runs in the series sweep that snapped an eight-game losing streak.
One of Heid’s home runs was a grand slam in the sixth inning as the Lefties erupted for five runs to take a 9-2 lead into the seventh. Heid finished the game with five RBIs and was hit by a pitch.
Drew Minter also hit a solo home run in Monday’s game, while Ronnie Rust had two hits, including a two-run double, scored a run and stole a base.
Jason Dicochea was 1 for 3 with two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
Tyler Oldenberg picked up the victory, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up three earned runs while striking out six and walking two.
After Heid’s grand slam, the game and series sweep was seemingly in hand for the Lefties, but the HarbourCats rallied to make the Port Angeles players sweat. Victoria scored three runs in the seventh inning to make it 9-5.
The HarbourCats cut it to 9-7 in the top of the ninth inning thanks to a single, double, hit by pitch and a pair of walks. The Cats had the bases loaded with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first base when reliever Tyler Tan got the Dustin Miller to ground out for the final out, earning a save.
With the three home runs Monday, the Lefties are now up to 52 home runs in 42 West Coast League games. The next highest team is Victoria with 32 home runs.
The Lefties (18-24 overall, 6-9 in the second half) traveled to Bellingham (9-6) to play the Bells Tuesday. Results of that game were not known before press deadline. The Lefties play the Bells again at 6:35 p.m. today.
Port Angeles 9, Victoria 7
Cats 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 2 — 7 12 1
Lefties 3 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 x — 9 10 2
WP: Oldenberg LP: Goicovich
Pitching
HarbourCats — Goicovich 1IP, 3H, 3ER, 2BB, K; Huang 3IP, 3K; Jaco 1.1IP, 5H, 4ER, BB; Loewen 0.2IP, 2ER, 2BB, K; Walker 1IP, H, 2K; Ho 1IP.
Lefties — Oldenberg 6.2IP, 9H, 3ER, 2BB, 6K; Ruwe 1.2IP, 3H, 2ER; Schateen 0.1IP, BB; Tan 0.1IP, BB.
Hitting
HarbourCats — Jordan 2-5, 2B, R, RBI; Ober 2-4, 2 2B, R, RBI; Clayton 2-4, 2 2B, R; Wagenseller 2-4, RBI, BB.
Lefties — Heid 2-3, 2HR, 2R, 5RBIs; Minter 1-4, HR, R, RBI, BB; Rust 2-4, R, 2RBI, SB; Dicochea 1-3, 2R, SB; VanDebrake 1-4, R, SB.
Lefties’ starter Tyler Oldenberg pitched 6 2/3 innings to win Monday’s game. At third base is Brady Heid, who hit two home runs, including a grand slam. (Pierre LaBossiere/Peninsula Daily News)
