PORT ANGELES — Wenatchee broke open a tie game with four runs in the top of the ninth, the second consecutive late-inning collapse by Port Angeles, in a 10-6 Lefties loss at Civic Field.
Port Angeles previously gave up three runs in the eighth inning of a 6-3 loss to the Apple Sox on Tuesday.
Lefties reliever Spencer Johnson yielded a leadoff walk to Wenatchee’s Jake Taylor to begin Port Angeles’ ninth-inning meltdown.
Taylor advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third base and scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by Port Angeles catcher Brody Kato.
Johnson allowed two two-out walks and the Apple Sox’ Cole McKenzie doubled home a run for an 8-6 Wenatchee lead.
Another run came on a second wild pitch by Johnson, and the Apple Sox also grabbed an extra run by baiting a throw to second base and getting in a rundown between first and second on an intentional runner caught stealing play to end the frame.
Port Angeles slugger Sean Roby went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI single, his 35th RBI of the season. The two hits raised his season batting average to .301.
Austyn Tengan went 2 for 5 with a double and scored twice. The Lefties leadoff hitter improved his season average to .339.
Ian Nowak also went 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI for Port Angeles.
Kato, an All-Star game selection for the Lefties, played in his first game since July 9 after recovering from a wrist injury.
He singled, walked and scored a run in his return.
Wednesday’s defeat means the Lefties longshot odds at a postseason berth grew even longer.
Port Angeles (6-12 second half, 16-29 overall) trails first-place Victoria (11-7) by five games with eight West Coast League contests remaining this season through Wednesday’s games.
The Lefties’ final two games are at home against the HarbourCats on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-6, but Port Angeles will likely need to sweep road series at Yakima Valley starting Saturday and at Gresham next week to stay in contention.
Wenatchee 10, Port Angeles 6
Apple Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 — 10 10 5
Lefties 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 — 6 11 4
WP: Spellacy LP: Johnson
Pitching
Apple Sox — Boyd 4.1 IP, 8H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 4K; Spellacy 4.2 IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K.
Lefties — Battaglia 5 IP, 2H, R, ER, 6BB, 4K; Buckson IP, 4H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, K; Haccou 2 IP, 3H, R, ER, K; Johnson IP, H, 4R, ER, 3BB, K.
Hitting
Apple Sox — McKenzie 2-5, 2 2B, 2R, 3RBI; Garcia 2-5, 3R; Reitano 1-2, 2 BB, 2R; Prater 2-4, BB, RBI; Johnson 1-3, 2BB;
Lefties — Tengan 2-5, 2B, 2R; Roby 2-5, 2B, R, RBI; Nowak 2-5, R, RBI; Ciancio 2-5, 2RBI; Kato 1-3, BB, R.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or email mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Lefties’ catcher Brody Kato bunts in the third inning in against the Wenatchee Apple Sox at Civic Field.
