PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Lefties were outhit 14-6 by their cross-channel rival, the Victoria HarbourCats, in a 7-1 loss at Civic Field.
Despite the loss Monday, the Lefties (7-6) remain in second place in the North Division, 1½ games behind Wenatchee. The defeat snapped a two-game winning streak.
John Vaara (Port Angeles High School, Edmonds Community College) started and took the loss, though he did not pitch badly. He went three innings and allowed six hits, two walks and three earned runs. His ERA remains a solid 3.52.
Relievers Kole Acker (Port Angeles High School), Alec Hagopian (Embry-Riddle) and Brett Haggerty (Yakima College) allowed no runs in four innings pitched.
At the plate, Kosei Suzuki (Frank Phillips College) was 2-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. Jeremy Giesegh (Cal State, San Bernardino) had a hit and his 10th stolen base, which leads the team. Jared Bujanda (Cal State, Bakersfield) had a hit and an RBI.
The Lefties (13-27 overall) played Victoria on Tuesday and wrap up their three-game home series at 6:35 p.m. today. They also play a nonleague game against the Everett Merchants at 6:35 p.m. Thursday.
Kleveno record
In his first season with Port Angeles, Jack Kleveno (University of Utah) has already reached the Lefties’ record books.
Kleveno — with a runner on first and one out in the fifth — threw a backpick to first base and erased the Victoria baserunner for his 29th assist in league play.
The assist ties Kleveno with Evan Pace for the most catcher assists in a single season in Lefties history.
“It feels good, I didn’t really know I had that many,” Kleveno said postgame. “I just try to get the ball and throw it at second base, a clean throw and doing that just fine, so it’s been fun.”
The Port Angeles backstop has also nailed 26 baserunners between league and non-league play for a caught stealing percentage of 31.3 percent.
“I just go out there and try my best and see what I can do and it’s been working,” Kleveno said. “You just gotta have fun every day, it is what it is.”
Lefties broadcaster Thomas Johnson contributed to this article.
Victoria 7, Port Angeles 1
Vic. 0 0 3 0 0 1 2 1 0 — 7 14 2
PA 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 6 3
WP: Ridley. LP: Vaara.
Pitching
Victoria — Langan 4 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 2 K; Ridley 4 IP, H, 3 BB, 3 K; Hines IP, BB, K.
Port Angeles — Vaara 3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, K; Acker 2 IP, BB, K; Bustamante IP, 2 H, ER; Hagopian IP, 2 H, K; Lopez IP, 2 H, ER; Haggerty IP, 2 BB.
Hitting
Victoria — Orucevic 3-5, 3 RBI; Thompson 2-5, RBI; Antillon 2-3, R, RBI; Artzberger 2-6, R, RBI; Schneider 2-5, R.
Port Angeles — Suzuki 2-2, R, 2 BB; Giesegh 1-4, SB; Bujanda 1-4, RBI.
