The Bellingham Bells lost 11-8 to the Wenatchee AppleSox on Sunday, June 30, at Joe Martin Field. With the win the AppleSox eliminated the Bells from the North Division first half playoff berth spot and the AppleSox await Edmonton’s final first half game against the Port Angeles Lefties tomorrow to determine if Wenatchee will be the North’s top team after 27 games. 

The Bells fell to 17-10 with the loss in a game they felt got away from them. The Bells held a 5-0 lead after seven innings but would allow 11 earned runs to score unanswered in the final two innings. The scoring started for the Bells in the second inning off of a Colton Bower RBI single that scored Logan Degroot.

Everett Swaim made his first start of the season today, his seventh overall appearance. Swaim would exit after five scoreless innings. Callum Young would hold that 1-0 lead in the sixth inning by striking out two batters. In the seventh, Will Goldberg had two runners on against him when Lane Simonsen would enter the game and force a double play to get out of the jam.

After the seventh inning stretch the Bells took advantage of Ryan Martinez, the AppleSox starter, leaving the game after six innings. The AppleSox needed three different relief pitchers to get through that seventh as the Bells would score four runs on four hits and two walks. Two of the runs would be scored on walks and the other two came from Jacob Mejia’s RBI single.

With the Bells up now five runs to none, Simonsen returned for the eighth inning but would stumble. It was Simonsen’s first appearance where he allowed an earned run and would not finish the inning as Sax Matson came in his relief. Simonsen ended up having four earned runs against him as Matson allowed a couple hits to score the inherited runners.

Now tied 5-5 the Bells failed to respond in the bottom of the eighth despite a leadoff walk from Bower. Wenatchee exploded for six runs in the ninth inning on two hits allowed with one out against Matson. Jack Svinth would be the next arm but he could not record an out and gave up one hit and two walks while seeing two runners touch home which would be earned against Matson. Svinth allowed one more run to score and Marques Brown would have to enter as the third arm in the inning. Brown got the final two outs but during that time the AppleSox sent three more runners in, all earned against Svinth. It was 11-5 entering the final half inning.

The Bells showed their grit and fought in the ninth inning to try and pull off a miracle comeback. Trent Mallonee doubled to lead it off and Roman Martin walked. Nate Kirkpatrick walked to load the bases and Mejia would be walked to score a run. At 11-6 with the bases loaded the Bells scored again when Kaikea Harrison was hit by a pitch. Degroot grounded into a fielder’s choice which would score the final run of the game as the Bells left the bases loaded on strikeouts from Jason Shedlock and Gabe Henderson. 

With the loss the Bells look to kickstart the second half of the season against the Bend Elks in a three-game series at Joe Martin Field starting Tuesday, July 2, and spanning till Thursday, July 4. Wednesday’s game is firework night presented by Industrial Credit Union and features a belt bag giveaway. Thursday’s game features a July 4th hat giveaway. Tuesday and Wednesday’s games also feature our daily promotions which you can learn more about on our promotional schedule.

Today’s game recap is sponsored by Everstrong Physical Therapy and Performance.