The Bellingham Bells beat the Port Angeles Lefties 7-3 Thursday night at Joe Martin Field to take their ninth straight win, and third consecutive series sweep. The game was tied going into the seventh inning, where the Bells scored four runs to break the game open.
Port Angeles took their first, and only, lead of the series in the second inning, when a single by third baseman Mason Persons scored Weston Peninger to put the Lefties up 1-0. The Bells answered back in the third thanks to a 2-run home run to left field from Daniel Gernon that scored JR Freethy. The 337-ft bomb was Gernon’s second of the season.
Later in the inning, Elijah Hainline hit a standing double and swiped third base for his league-leading 13th steal of the year. A sacrifice fly from Josh Trujillo scored Hainline to give the Bells a 3-1 lead.
The Lefties tied it back up in the sixth on a 2-run homer from Peninger, his first of the season.
The seventh inning was a turning point in the game, when a single from pinch-hitter Teo Banks scored Gavin Schulz, his teammate at Tulane, from second to regain the lead for the Bells. Shortly after, Hainline smacked his second double of the night as the Bells loaded the bases for Jack Van Remortel, who drew a walk to score pinch-runner Jared Bujanda. Following the walk, Jacob Schroeder hit a two-run single to break the game open and give the Bells a 7-3 lead.
Nate Mendoza closed it out in the ninth, recording two strikeouts to end the game. Nate Clow (3-0) earned the win, throwing two innings of scoreless ball. Clow maintains a perfect 0.00 ERA through 10 innings pitched with the Bells. Lefties RHP Jasiah George (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs in 3.2 innings pitched.
The Bells, who improve to 13-4, bring their nine game streak to Corvallis this weekend, where they will face the South Divison-leading Knights who sit at 11-1.