By Pierre LaBossiere
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — The Lefties rallied with two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to come from behind and walk off with a 6-5 win over the Portland Pickles on Sunday, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
The Lefties got a game-winning single from Brad Altomarie, scoring Alex Garcia from third base.
Portland had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th on a solo home run from Thomas Rudinsky.
In the bottom of the 10th, Trevor Rosenberg walked, Matt Christian singled, Garcia singled, but Rosenberg was thrown out on the basepaths.
Rhys De Highden then tied the game with a single, scoring Christian. Garcia moved to third base on an error on a ball hit by Dylan Cyr.
The Lefties took a 4-0 lead in the third inning, thanks to an RBI double by Christian and a two-run home run by Damiano Palmegiani. The Pickles tied it in the fifth, with the big blow a two-run home run by Kyle Manzardo.
The Lefties’ Tyler Tan started the game, going six innings and giving up four earned runs, while striking out three and walking two. Kyle Hamrick picked three solid innings, giving up two hits and no runs. He walked one and struck out three. Jonny Chavez gets the win, though he gave up the run in the 10th on Rudinsky’s home run.
In Saturday night’s game, the Lefties fell behind 6-0 after 5½ innings and rallied with four runs in the final two innings, but came up short in a 9-6 loss.
Christian continued his torrid power streak at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. Christian is leading the West Coast League with 12 home runs and is fourth in the league with 31 RBIs despite only having 121 at-bats (barely more than half the at-bats as the league leaders). His .711 slugging percentage leads the West Coast League.
Trevor Rosenberg was also 1 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI.
The Lefties’ Gavin Rork stole two bases on Saturday and another on Sunday to give him 21 for the season. That is the third most in the WCL.
Saturday’s game also saw the debut of Port Angeles Roughrider Landon Seibel on the mound for the Lefties. Seibel pitched four innings, giving up four hits, two earned runs and walking five while striking out two. He left the game with an ERA of 4.50.
The Lefties (12-9 second half) play a makeup game at 6:35 p.m. today at Civic Field versus Corvallis, then host Victoria for three games beginning at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday in the final homestand of the year.
Lefties 6, Pickles 5, 10 inn.
Pickles 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 — 5 10 3
Lefties 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 — 6 12 1
WP: J. Chavez LP: Kelly
Pitching
Pickles — Vicars 4IP, 5H, 0ER, 2BB; Suter 2IP, H, 0ER, 2K; Bixby 2IP, H, BB, 4K; Kelly 1.2IP, 5H, ER, BB, 2K.
Lefties — Tan 6IP, 6H, 4ER, 2BB, 3K; Hamrick 3IP, 2H, 0ER, BB, 3K; J. Chavez 1IP, 2H, ER, K.
Hitting
Pickles — Jensen 2-5, 2B, R, RBI; Arndorfer 2-5, R, RBI; Rudinsky 2-5, R, RBI; Manzardo 1-5, HR, R, 2RBI.
Lefties — Christian 3-5, 2B, 2R, RBI; Palmegiani 2-5, HR, R, 2RBI; Garcia 2-4, 2B, R; Rork 2-4, R, SB; Altomarie 1-4, R, RBI, BB.
Pickles 9, Lefties 6
Pickles 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 2 1 — 9 12 1
Lefties 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 3 — 6 10 3
WP: McVay LP: Plunkett
Pitching
Pickles — McVay 5IP, 5H, 2ER, 2BB, 5K; Lopez 4IP, 5H, 4ER, BB, 5K.
Lefties — Plunkett 4IP, 5H, 5ER, 4BB, 6K; Seibel 4IP, 4H, 2ER, 5BB, 2K; Ulrich 1IP, 3H, ER, 2BB.
Hitting
Pickles — Rudinsky 4-6, 2R, 3RBI; Arndorfer -2, 2R, RBI 4BB; Velazquez 2-4, R, RBI, BB.
Lefties — Christian 2-3, HR, R, 3RBI, BB; Rork 1-3, 2R, 2HBP, SB; Rosenberg 1-3, R, RBI, BB; Quinton 1-1, R; Takayoshi 1-1 RBI; J. Chavez 1-3, R, BB.
