Yakima, Wash. — The Bells had two runners on first and second base in the top of the ninth with no outs, down by one run, but the next three batters flew out to the Pippins defense and lost 3-2.
Bells outfielder Daniel Gernon led off the first inning with a double and was brought home by Yugo Hamakawa, who batted second, on an RBI-single that gave the Bells a 1-0 lead.
The Yakima Valley Pippins answered immediately in the bottom of the first with two runs when infielder Mason Marenco hit a 2-RBI single that put the Pippins ahead 2-1.
RHP Tommy O’Rourke posted five strike outs in his first start as a Bell and went three innings.
O’Rourke was relieved by RHP Kai Francis who went the distance and fired five innings.
Francis gave up a 429-foot single-run home run to outfielder Noah Williamson in the bottom of the fifth, that stood as the winning run for the Pippins.
Yakima starter RHP Dylan Bishop was credited with the win and allowed one run and four hits through five innings and struck out seven.
Pippins closer, RHP Landon Schirer, earned a six-out save that was his fourth six-out save in as many appearances this season.
The Bells will try to bounce back against the Pippins Saturday night at 7:05 p.m., listen to all the action at 989KBAY.com.