Just one night after the offense only managed four baserunners, the Bells defeated the Wenatchee AppleSox by a final score of 11-5 and out-hit them 10-6.
Only six of Bellingham’s runs were earned. The AppleSox committed three errors, each of which allowed a run on the play.
Wenatchee jumped on top quickly in the 1st inning, posting four runs without recording an out to start the game off of starter Zack Simon (5.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). The AppleSox had two RBI triples in the inning, and the final run scored on a wild pitch. Simon bounced back nicely after the rough start, retiring the next eleven batters he faced.
The Bells got on the board on an RBI double in the bottom of the 3rd by Emilio Corona. He leads the team this summer in RBI (17) and doubles (12), and earned player of the game honors for his performance. He later came around to score in the 3rd off an error.
Wenatchee added their final run on an RBI groundout in the top of the 5th. Bellingham answered back with a run of their own in the bottom, with Nick McLain scoring Daniel Gernon on an RBI single. They tied it up in the bottom of the 6th with Ty Saunders (pinch-running for AJ Davis) scoring on a wild pitch paired with an error, and Corona scoring Cody Schrier on an RBI double.
Bellingham took the lead for good in a 3-run 7th inning, and added to it with a 3-run 8th. They scored in every inning but three. In the 7th, Malakhi Knight (pinch-hitting for Cole Hinkelman) drew a walk, and he was scored by a Yugo Hamakawa RBI double. Ty Saunders then doubled to score Hamakawa, and Saunders later scored on a wild pitch.
The first three batters of the 8th reached to load the bases for Knight with no outs. Two of the runners came around to score on an errant wild pitch, and Knight scored the third with an RBI single.
In total, the Bells drew 9 walks and left 8 runners on base. They also had five doubles (D.Gernon, Y.Hamakawa, T.Saunders, E.Corona (2)), and stole a total of six bases (D.Gernon (3), N.McLain, B.Lee, M.Knight, T.Saunders, C.Schrier).
Bellingham’s relief pitchers did their job as well, with James Spickelmier (0.2 IP, 0 H 0 R, 3 BB, K), Hunter Alberini (2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K) and Greg Blackman (1.0, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K) combining for four scoreless innings.
With the win, Bellingham moves to 15-18. Up next, they will be taking on the 10-14 Bend Elks in a 3-game series beginning tomorrow, Friday, July 16th.