2-1 loss to open series at Edmonton

June 25, 2024 10:41 pm

Lane Simonsen pitching on June 20 at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham, Wash. Simonsen threw a 1-2-3 inning June 25 at Edmonton. On the season the right-handed pitcher has an ERA of zero with only three hits allowed in eight innings and 11 total strikeouts. Photo by Andrew Forhan.

The Bellingham Bells fell to 13-9 after losing 2-1 against the Edmonton Riverhawks in game one of a three-game series at RE/MAX Field in Edmonton, Alberta. The Bells had seven total hits to the Riverhawks three hits but their walk and a triple in the eighth inning proved to be costly.

Starting tonight was Josh Flaugher in his fourth start of the year and he delivered another gem on the mound. Flaugher went five innings deep of scoreless baseball with only two hits and two walks against him. Flaugher has still not allowed a run in 16 innings with 13 total strikeouts. Tonight Flaugher would receive his third no-decision of the season and is still 1-0 on the year.

The Bells added to Flaugher’s start by scoring early and establishing a lead. In the third inning a hot hitting Gabe Henderson led off with a single. Jason Shedlock followed with a single of his own to put two on with no outs. An error by Jakob Poturnak loaded the bases with no outs and Jacob Mejia, who is hitting .329 on the year, at the plate. The Bells would only score one run off of a Mejia sacrifice fly and the inning ended when Roman Martin hit into a double play.

A 1-0 lead would be handed to the bullpen starting in the sixth inning where Callum Young delivered a scoreless frame. Following Young in the seventh was Lane Simonsen who saw the minimum in that inning. Entering the eighth was Sax Matson who had the duties of holding onto a narrow lead. He walked the first batter he faced, Kaden Zarowny. Zarowny moved into scoring position on a sacrifice from Michael Soper. The tying run scored on a triple from William Vasseur. With only one out Vasseur was sent home to take the lead on a sacrifice fly. Exiting the eighth the Bells trailed 2-1.

In the top of the ninth a debuting Logan Degroot would strike out as the leadoff man. Colton Bower continued to hit for extra bases with a double and Bryce Johnson pinch ran for him as the tying run on second base. Johnson used his speed to move to third base on a passed ball. The tying run was 90 feet away with one out in the ninth. Trent Mallonee hit a ball to second base, Johnson went home, and the runner was tagged out at the plate. Henderson grounded out and the Edmonton Riverhawks took game one at home away from the Bellingham Bells.

The Bells were led by Gabe Henderson’s 2 for 5 night at the plate. The new leadoff batter has seven hits in the last four games, all of which he has led off for the Bells. Henderson is thriving in his new spot in the order and his average has climbed to .234. Jason Shedlock went 2 for 4 tonight. Nate Kirkpatrick extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 1 for 4 performance. Jacob Mejia, despite having the only RBI, ended his 14 game on-base streak. Roman Martin and Colton Bower also had hits with Bower’s being a double and Martin also picked up a stolen base.

The Bellingham Bells are 13-9 and have lost back-to-back games as the first half of the West Coast League season comes to an end. The Bells have five more games to close a 2.5 game deficit to the North Division leaders, the Wenatchee AppleSox, in hopes of securing an early playoff berth.

Tomorrow night the Bells and Riverhawks play game two of their three-game series at 7:05 p.m.

Tonight’s game recap is presented by Everstrong Physical Therapy and Performance.