The Bellingham Bells beat the Port Angeles Lefties Wednesday night at Joe Martin Field to take their eighth straight win. The Lefties gave Bells fans a scare when they scored five runs in the last three innings, but Bellingham prevailed thanks to the lead they built up in the first half of the game.

In the second inning, Daniel Gernon drew a walk, then scored on an infield single by Cole Hage to put the Bells up early. Then, in the fourth, the Bells extended their lead when Gavin Schulz scored on an error by the Lefties. Later in the inning, a standing double by Hage scored Elijah Hainline for Hage’s second RBI of the game, putting the Bells up 3-0. 

The Bells broke the game open in the fifth, when a bases-loaded double by Schulz scored all three runners and widened the lead to 6-0. The Lefties retaliated in the seventh after a single by center fielder Colin Curry scored Weston Peninger to put them on the board. 

Midway through the eighth, Lefties first baseman Ethan Flodstrom smacked a 2-run homer to right field, tightening the game to 6-3. In the ninth, Bells starting shortstop Christopher Campos took the mound, throwing an impressive fastball that consistently hit the mid-nineties.

Campos struck out two, before he walked then hit the next pair of Lefties batters. Curry sent a high fly ball to left field that was botched by Josh Trujillo, scoring one run and tightening the lead to two. The next at-bat, Riley Parker hit a single to close the gap to one run. The game ended when a groundball by Flodstrom was scooped up by Schulz, who threw to first and gave Bells fans a big sigh of relief.

Cole Hage came up big for the Bells, collecting two infield singles on his way to a 3-4 night from the plate with a pair of RBI’s. Gavin Schulz had a great night as well, going 2-4 with a run and three RBI’s coming from his invaluable bases-clearing double in the fifth.

Ryan Beitel (3-1) took the win for the Bells, entering the game in the fourth for starting pitcher Randy Abshier, who struck out nine in 4.2 innings pitched. The Bells improve to 12-4 with the win, holding a three game lead over the second place Kamloops NorthPaws. The Lefties fall to 8-11, as the two will face off in the final game of the series Thursday night at Joe Martin Field.