The Bellingham Bells were swept for the second time this season by the Ridgefield Raptors in a series that included two 11-inning contests July 7–9 at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex.
Bellingham (20-10) suffered walk-off, 11-inning losses in game one and game three, both by a score of 5-4. The Bells never scored more than four runs against the Raptors (22-10) in the two teams’ first three-game series of the season.
Ridgefield and Bellingham each won their first-half division championships and are the only two squads to have already clinched playoff berths. However, the Bells’ three-straight losses allowed the Wenatchee AppleSox (22-8) to take hold of first place in the West Coast League North Division, and the Victoria HarbourCats (22-11) moved into second place.
The opportunity for revenge will be immediate, as Bellingham hosts Ridgefield July 11–13 at Joe Martin Stadium. All games begin at 6:35 p.m.
Here’s what happened in Bellingham’s first series with Ridgefield.
Stransky steals, scores on error for walk-off game 1 win over Bells
Ridgefield catcher Justin Stransky scored the walk-off run in the 11th inning in a 5-4 win over the Bells on Friday, July 7.
Tied 4-4 heading into the bottom of the 11th, Stransky singled for Ridgefield and advanced to second on a putout during the next at-bat.
After a strike on the first pitch of the following at-bat, Stransky charged third on the second and an attempt to throw him out by Bells catcher Colton Bower sailed over the head of third baseman Cole Yoshida, allowing the Ridgefield runner to get home and end the game.
Ridgefield outhit Bellingham 11-5 in the game, and both teams left 10 or more on base during the game. The defense was sound until one costly mistake propelled the Raptors to the win.
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Beitel pitched five innings for the Bells, allowing four hits, two earned runs and three walks with no strikeouts. Right-handers Ryan Orr and Nathan Van Beek also pitched two innings each for Bellingham.
Ridgefield right-hander Logan Saloman earned the win on the mound, pitching three innings and allowing no hits or runs and two walks while striking out four. Shortstop Corey Nunez led Ridgefield offensively, finishing 3-for-4 batting with two runs scored.
First baseman Daryl Ruiz finished 2 for 4 for the Bells with an RBI, while right fielder Max Hartman went 1 for 5 with two RBIs.
9 early, unanswered runs propel Ridgefield to game 2 win
Bellingham fell behind early and was unable to recover in a 10-4 loss to the Raptors on Saturday, July 8.
Ridgefield led 9-0 after four innings, fueled by seven runs bottom of the fourth. Raptors center fielder Quincy Scott highlighted the inning with a two-run home run.
The Bells trimmed the lead to 9-1 in the top of the sixth, and the following inning brought three more scores for Bellingham. First baseman Yohann Dessureault doubled, scoring Yoshida, before left fielder Coleman Schmidt belted a two-run home run — his first of the season — to drive in himself and Dessureault.
That Bellingham offense didn’t last, however, and an empty eighth inning led to the Bells leaving two on base in the top of the ninth, ending the game.
Right-hander Will Franklin pitched three innings for Bellingham, allowing two hits, an earned run and three walks while striking out three. Much of Ridgefield’s offense came in the fourth versus usual infielder Ty Saunders, who pitched 0.2 innings and allowed six hits, seven earned runs and a walk while striking out one.
Schmidt finished 3-for-4 batting with a run scored and two RBIs. Designated hitter Brady Reynolds, third baseman Nate Kirkpatrick and Dessureault each added two hits for Bellingham.
Scott finished 3 for 5 for Ridgefield with a run scored and four RBIs, and second baseman Jake Tsukada went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Right-hander Charlie Royle earned the win on the mound, pitching five innings and allowing no runs with five strikeouts.
Prokes’ single walks off another win for Ridgefield to secure sweep
Ridgefield right fielder Trent Prokes’ hit a line drive single to right field for the walk-off score in the 11th inning, and the Raptors once again beat Bellingham 5-4 on Sunday, July 9.
Bellingham fell short by the same score in both of the series’ 11-inning contests, unable to drive in any runs when it needed them most. The Bells briefly led 4-2 at the top of the eighth inning — their first and only lead of the series — but Ridgefield’s two runs in the bottom of the eighth tied the game.
Both teams had empty trips to the plate in the ninth and 10th before Prokes drove in left fielder Nick Seamons for the game-winner.
Bellingham’s pitching, which had been its strength for much of the season, was shaky in all three games against the Raptors, as Ridgefield managed 10 or more hits in each game. Right-hander Everett Swaim pitched four innings in the loss and allowed four hits, one earned run and four walks, while striking out seven.
Ridgefield had three pitchers throw three-or-more innings allowing seven hits and just four walks while striking out 10 Bells batters. Prokes finished the game 3-for-4 batting with a run scored and two RBIs.
