PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles scored twice and had the potential game tying and game-winning runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, but the Lefties weren’t able to fully capitalize in a 5-4 loss to the Cowlitz Black Bears on Tuesday night.
The Lefties were able to get to Cowlitz reliever Alex Buchanan in the final frame, chasing him after recording only one out.
Port Angeles’ Eric Valdivia reached base on a dropped third strike and pinch runner Brock Mayer took advantage of a balk, a walk to former Roughriders’ standout Wyatt Hall — and another Buchanan balk to come home on a Julio Vasquez sacrifice fly.
Hall tagged and advanced to third, coming around to score on Kosei Suzuki’s RBI single to make it 5-4 with two outs.
Yahir Ramirez kept the game going, working a full-count walk to bump Suzuki into scoring position.
That’s all the rally the Lefties could muster, as Jared Bujanda lined to shortstop to end the contest.
Port Angeles (16-36) was hard-pressed by Cowlitz starter Calvin Proskey as the 6-foot-3 UC Santa Barbara product limited the Lefties to two hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings.
With Proskey out of the ball game, Port Angeles cut into Cowlitz’s lead in the bottom of the eighth, snapping the Black Bears’ attempt at a shutout with back-to-back doubles by Suzuki and Ramirez.
With two outs, Roberto Nunez singled home Ramirez but was caught stealing on the basepaths to end the Lefties’ threat and pull within 4-2.
Cowlitz 5, Port Angeles 4
Cowlitz 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 5 8 3
Port Angeles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2—4 6 2
WP: Proskey LP: Capel SV: McQuilliams
Pitching
Cowlitz — Proskey 6 IP, 2 H, BB, 6 K; LeJeune 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K; Buchanan 0.1 IP, 2 R, BB, K; McQuilliams 0.2 IP, H, BB.
Port Angeles — Capel 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 5 K; Noffsinger 2 IP, H, BB; Sato 4 IP, 3 H, ER, BB.
Hitting
Cowlitz — Canton 1-4, HP, HR, 2 R, RBI; Neave 3-4, HP, 2B, 2 R; Miller 1-4, 2 RBI; Estes 1-4, 2B, RBI.
Port Angeles — Nunez 1-4, RBI; Suzuki 3-4, 2B, R, RBI; Ramirez 1-3, BB, R, RBI; Vasquez 0-3, SF, RBI.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
The Port Angeles Lefties recognized their summer 2024 host families prior to a recent contest at Civic Field.
