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The Bellingham Bells beat the Victoria HarbourCats 3-2 to earn a series win over the HarbourCats on Sunday, Aug. 4, at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham, Wash. A phenomenal start by Josh Flaugher and bullpen efforts all led to the Bells improving to 31-20 overall and 14-10 in the second half of the 2024 West Coast League season. 

Today was the final regular season game that will be played in Bellingham. If the Bells want another home game this season they’ll have to remain in the playoff picture by winning at least one game at Springfield in a three-game series beginning tomorrow night. 

Flaugher made his eighth start of the season today and went five innings where he allowed just one hit. Flaugher did allow two unearned runs in the fifth inning after the leadoff batter, Sky Collins, reached on an error by Roman Martin. Ryan Deagle had the RBI that scored Collins. Jake Vrlak also scored on a sacrifice fly in that same inning. 

The two runs in the fifth by the HarbourCats tied the game at 2-2 because the Bells had taken an early lead in the first inning with the help of an error by starting third baseman Kerim Orucevic. Mallonee had led off the bottom of the first inning with a single and Gavin Long attempted a sacrifice bunt to move Mallonee over. Long’s bunt was so good that it forced a wild throw from Orucevic to first base and the ball escaped into right field. This allowed Mallonee to go from first base to home plate on the play and score the first run of the game. Long eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Nate Kirkpatrick.

The 2-2 tie was broken in the bottom of the sixth inning after Anthony Kodama led off the frame with a single. Kodama was moved into scoring position on back-to-back outs but the Bells had one out left to try and score him to take the lead. Mallonee delivered the soft single that got into right-center field and scored Kodama for the Bells to lead 3-2.

This would lead to Ben McKinnon earning the win out of the bullpen for pitching the sixth, and seventh innings while getting two outs to start the eighth inning. This was McKinnon’s debut for the Bellingham Bells and he only allowed one hit and two walks while obtaining eight outs, three via a strikeout. Lane Simonsen relieved McKinnon in the eighth inning after McKinnon allowed two HarbourCats to reach. Simonsen forced a fly ball that Gavin Long hustled for to snag in foul territory and end the inning.

In the ninth inning Nick Lewis got the ball for the save. The left-handed Washington State University pitcher earned his third save of the season despite allowing one infield hit in the ninth inning. The Bells won 3-2 and took the series in Bellingham against the HarbourCats with two wins to one loss.

The Bells now hit the road to play the Springfield Drifters in three games on the road. The Bells will finish their 54 game schedule with hopes of making the WCL PLayoffs that begin Aug 10. If the season ended today the Bells would be the #2 seed in the playoffs due to their run differential tiebreaker with Victoria that gives them the edge. Nanaimo can tie the Bells for the lead in the North Division second half with a win later today but the Bells own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the NightOwls.

Follow your Bellingham Bells as they look to win the second half of the season by picking up wins against the South Division’s Springfield Drifters beginning tomorrow at 6:35 p.m.

Tonight’s game recap is presented by Everstrong Physical Therapy and Performance.