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The Bellingham Bells lost 6-5 against the Kamloops NorthPaws to drop the series up north and fall to 29-19 overall. All six of the NorthPaws runs were unanswered after the Bells got out to an early 5-0 lead. Seven of nine starters had multiple hits as the Bells totaled 11 hits as a team, two of their hits were two-run home runs by Roman Martin and Jacob Mejia.

Everett Swaim made the start and would have four scoreless innings rolling as he entered the bottom of the fifth with a 5-0 lead. That lead was given to him after two runs in the first inning that scored on Roman Martin’s two-run home run. One run scored in the top of the fifth inning on a Nate Kirkpatrick ground out and two more came across in the frame on a Jacob Mejia two-run home run.  Mejia is now tied for third in the West Coast League for home runs after hitting his fifth of the season tonight.

Up 5-0 Swaim would grab the first two outs of the bottom of the fifth before the slide began. Swaim gave up two walks and a hit to load the bases and Keegan Drinkle doubled for two runs to score. Jerry Nix then hit an RBI single and Nathan Van Beek had to enter to finish the fifth inning with the Bells leading 5-3.

Van Beek followed up his one out in the fifth with a 1-2-3 sixth inning but in the seventh he allowed a leadoff single. Despite the leadoff hit, Van Beek grabbed the next two outs but allowed another hit to put runners on the corners for Kamloops. Matt Molina entered and hit the first batter he faced. With the bases loaded, Molina threw a wild pitch that scored the fourth run of the game for the NorthPaws. Exiting the seventh inning the score was not 5-4.

Lane Simonsen took the rubber for the eighth inning in the one-run contest. Simonsen got the first out in the inning but hit the second batter he faced and allowed the tying run to score on Anthony Manuel’s RBI double. Nick Lewis had to sub in for Simonsen with the game tied 5-5 and the go-ahead run on second base. Lewis walked his first batter and then forced a ground out that put Manuel on third. With two outs in the eighth, the NorthPaws took their first lead of the game on Madden Ocko’s go-ahead single.

Despite Jason Shedlock’s leadoff hit in the ninth, the Bells could not come back and would lose the three-game series, two games to one, at Kamloops. The NorthPaws starter Kolby Lukinchuk threw 101 pitches and almost had a complete game but Matthew MacDonald came in to get the two out save in the ninth.

The Bells were led by Martin and Mejia’s two-run home runs for the bulk of their scoring. Kirkpatrick went 2 for 4 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to seven games. Trent Mallonee had two hits and a run scored in the leadoff spot. Shedlock also had multiple hits as the DH tonight with a 2 for 4 night. Gavin Long had one hit but scored two runs.

Next up is a big series against the Victoria Harbourcats at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham, Wash. The Harbourcats are now leading the North Division in the second half race for the number two seed in the 2024 West Coast League Playoffs. The Harbourcats hold a 13-8 second half record with the Bells holding a 12-9 record, one game behind. Bellingham needs a series win against Victoria to overtake the Harbourcats for the second half lead. The Bells still have the second best overall record in the North Division and are leading the wildcard race.

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