By Joe Traub
Port Angeles Lefties
WALLA WALLA — After two narrow, heartbreaking defeats to begin the series in Walla Walla, the Port Angeles Lefties were not going to be denied a third time Sunday night.
The Lefties used an offensive barrage that carried from the middle innings through the end of the game to carry them to a series-ending, 10-5 victory over the Sweets on Sunday night at Borleske Stadium, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Four of the Lefties’ seven losses during that streak were by one run.
Port Angeles trailed 2-1 against the Sweets with two outs in the fifth inning. Matthew Christian delivered a single to center field that plated Trevor Rosenberg, who had singled earlier in the game, tying it at 2-2. After a walk to C.J. Schauwecker, Christian stole third and scampered home on a throwing error. Nick DiPonzio hustled and beat out an infield single, scoring Schauwecker for the final tally of the frame as the Lefties led 4-2.
Walla Walla got one back in the home fifth and the score stayed 4-3 into the seventh. Justin Fugitt led off with a single for Port Angeles and came around to score when Schauwecker singled and the Sweets kicked the ball around for an error.
Any doubt about the outcome was put to bed in the eighth inning. DiPonzio was hit by a pitch, stole second base and scored on Zander Marco’s pinch-hit double to left field. After a pitching change, Rosenberg tripled to right-center for his third hit, making it 7-3 for the Lefties. After an out, Fugitt singled in Rosenberg and Christian blasted a no-doubt, 420-foot home run to the deepest part of Borleske Stadium in left-center field, his second home run of the season.
The Sweets plated a pair of runs against Kyle Hamrick in the eighth inning and loaded the bases on walks in the ninth, but Carter Loewen entered to strike out Chazz Martinez to end the game and send the Lefties home winners.
Port Angeles finished with 15 hits. Fugitt, Rosenberg and Christian all finished with three hits for Port Angeles, which was victorious for the first time since June 14.
Thompson was credited with the victory. He came in relief in the third inning and went 2 1/3 innings, giving up an earned run on two hits, while striking out five.
The Lefties (7-11 WCL) enjoyed a Monday off day and will begin an eight-game homestand against the Yakima Valley Pippins at Civic Field beginning at 6:35 p.m. today.
Port Angeles 10, Walla Walla 5
Lefties 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 5 0— 10 15 2
Sweets 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 — 5 9 4
WP: Thompson LP: Dahle
Pitching
Lefties — Moeller 2.1IP, 4H, 2ER, 2BB, K; Thompson 2.2IP, 2H, ER, 3BB, 5K; Hamrick 3IP, 2ER K; Bonck 0.2IP, 4BB; Loewen 0.1IP, K.
Sweets — Johnson 2IP, 3H, ER, BB; Dahle 2.2IP, 5H, ER, 2BB; Wood 2.1IP, 2H, ER, 3K; Kokodynkski 0.0IP, H, 2ER; Boone 1IP, 4H, 3ER, K; Coballes 1IP, K.
Hitting
Lefties — Christian 3-5, HR, 2R, 3RBI; Fugitt 3-4, 2R, RBI; Rosenberg 3-5, 3B, 2R, RBI; Diponzio 2-4, R, HBP; Marco 1-2, 2B, R, RBI; Nasuit 1-3, 2B.
Sweets — Folz 2-5, 2B, R, RBI; Dean 2-4, R, RBI, BB; Green 2-3; Fariss 1-3, R, RBI, 2BB; Farmer 1-2, 2B, R, RBI.
