RIDGEFIELD — Port Angeles opened its first West Coast League series of the summer with a 10-3 defeat on the road against the high-powered Ridgefield Raptors.
A solo home run by Zach Thomas put the Lefties ahead 1-0 Tuesday night, but Ridgefield had other plans.
The Raptors touched Port Angeles starter Steven Brooks for three runs on three hits in the bottom of the third, highlighted by an RBI double by John Peck.
Peck, a Pepperdine freshman, totaled four hits in the game and reached base in all five plate appearances, scoring three Raptors runs.
Brooks was chased from the game in the fourth inning after allowing five more runs.
Christian Becerra entered the game and was a bright spot in relief for Port Angeles, striking out six in 3 1/3 innings.
The Lefties loaded the bases in the ninth inning as leadoff hitter Coleman Schmidt reached on an error, advanced to second and third on walks by Carson Crawford and Garrett Lake and came home on a ground out by Javy Espinoza.
Nick Oakley scored Crawford on a sacrifice fly, but the rally attempt ended with a Bryce Matthews fly ball to center field.
The series also doubles as the last three games of the first half of the WCL season for Port Angeles (7-15), which entered Wednesday’s games tied for fifth in the WCL North standings, 7 1/2 games behind first-place Yakima Valley (17-10).
Corvallis (23-7) has a five-game advantage in the WCL South on second-place Portland (15-10).
The top two first-half teams in each division qualify for the WCL playoffs as well as the top two second-half squads.
The Lefties will wrap the three-game set with the Raptors tonight at 6:35 p.m.
Ridgefield 10, Port Angeles 3
PA 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 — 3 6 2
RID 0 0 3 5 0 2 0 0 x — 10 13 3
WP: Martin. LP: Brooks.
Pitching
Port Angeles — Brooks 3.2 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 5 ER, BB, 3 K; Becerra 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, BB, 6 K; Sinclair IP, H, BB, 2 K.
Ridgefield — Martin 5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 8 K; Acosta 2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB; Lake 2 IP, 2 R, 2 BB.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Z. Thomas 2-3, R, HR, RBI; Oakley 1-2, SF, RBI; Espinoza 1-4, BB, RBI.
Ridgefield — Peck 4-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 RBI; Connor 2-4, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 RBI; Chambers 2-5, 3 RBI.
