The Bellingham Bells fell to the Ridgefield Raptors 7-3 on Thursday night in Ridgefield, as the Raptors completed their series sweep of the Bells. Their offense was the talking point of the week, scoring 32 runs over the three games to rebound from losing three of their last four previous to this series.

For the Bells, Trevin Hope (3-1) took his first loss of the season, giving up three runs on eight hits over five innings. Hope, who leads the WCL in ERA (1.27), raised it above one for the first time this season. The Bells’ relievers, usually consistent anchors for the team, each gave up two runs in their three innings pitched to finish the game.

In the first inning, Trent Prokes hit a double to score Travis Welker from first, then scored himself on another double by teammate Safea Villaruz-Mauai. The game quieted down until the fourth inning, when Touissaint Bythewood hit a bases-loaded single to score Christopher Campos, putting the Bells on the board.

The Raptors extended their lead in the fifth, on a solo shot by Jacob Sharp, then tacked on two more in the seventh to make it a 5-3 ball game. JR Freethy countered with a 2-run HR in the eighth, his first of the season, to score Campos and bring the Bells within two. In the bottom of the inning, however, Sharp swatted his second homer of the game, and third of the series, scoring teammate Stephen Espinoza and giving the Raptors a 7-3 lead.

Despite the loss, every batter on the Bells got a hit over the course of the evening, headlined by Campos’ 3-5 night at the plate with a pair of runs.

Ridgefield hurler Harrision Howell (2-1) earned the win by throwing 1.1 innings of scoreless ball for the Raptors, who improve to 20-12 with the win, 4-3 in the second half of the season. The Bells fall to 21-11, and a dismal 2-5 to begin the second half. Bellingham will return home from the week-long roadtrip on Friday night to face the Nanaimo NightOwls in the first of a three game series.