Bellingham prevails in slugfest versus Wenatchee

WENATCHEE — The Bellingham Bells and Wenatchee AppleSox traded blows for nine innings of offensive baseball on Saturday, July 25, in Wenatchee. Bellingham was able to narrowly win the shootout 11-10 to even the three-game series and set up a rubber game on Sunday, July 26 at 5:35 p.m.

Wenatchee got itself a huge 7-0 lead in the first inning after Bellingham’s starter Parker Warner couldn’t get out of the first frame. He allowed seven runs on five hits, two walks and one hit-by-pitch. David Wiser had to gain the final out in the inning.

Bellingham fought back into the game with a six-run third inning. Nate Johnson gave the Bells their first run on an RBI knock to get the rally started. An error helped Bo Shinkle reach base while two runs scored. Tyler Peshke set the score at 7-4 on an RBI single. Shinkle scored on an error after an errant throw that was attempting to gun down Peshke at second. Rominic Quiban scored Peshke on a base hit.

Wiser allowed one unearned run in the fourth inning, but in 3-2/3 innings he kept the score manageable posting five strikeouts with only four hits and one walk allowed. Nic Peterson would pitch the rest of the game for five innings of long relief.

The Bells overtook the AppleSox in the sixth inning following another Wenatchee error, a sacrifice fly from Johnson and an RBI single from Shinkle.

The game drew even at 9-9 after a run by the AppleSox in the bottom of the eighth. The Bells responded with a two-run ninth inning to take a clutch 11-9 lead. Quiban and Hattori drove in the two runs.

Peterson allowed a home run in the ninth, but was able to close out the win. Peterson only allowed three hits with no walks and struck out nine batters to earn his second win of the summer.

Bellingham did take advantage of six errors by Wenatchee, but the offense also totaled 13 hits to post the double-digit score. Shinkle had three hits and two runs with one RBI. Johnson and Quiban both had two RBI. Hattori, Quiban, Peshke and Matt Churchill each had a pair of hits.

Sunday’s game now determines the three-game series between the Bells and AppleSox. Bellingham stays on the road with a three-game series against the Marion Berries beginning Tuesday.