By Pierre LaBossiere
Peninsula Daily News
VICTORIA, B.C — The Lefties are returning home today for the first time in nine days after their first extended road trip through two states and two countries.
The Lefties (7-10) lost the final game of their road trip 6-1 against Victoria on Monday and ended their trip to Vancouver Island, central Oregon, eastern Washington and back to Vancouver Island. Against every team not named the HarbourCats, the Lefties have a winning record, but they are still looking for their first win of the year against their Strait of Juan de Fuca rivals.
Monday’s afternoon game was actually a pitcher’s duel and was tied 0-0 as late as the sixth inning. But, the HarbourCats broke out for four runs in the seventh, thanks in part to two walks, two wild pitches and a two-run triple by Davis Wendzel.
Cam Walker and Keiran Shaw combined for six innings of outstanding pitching, giving up just one run on seven hits. Shaw took the hard-luck loss.
The HarbourCats built up a lead of 6-0 when the Lefties tried to mount a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth. Jake Portaro walked and Michael Ciancio was hit by a pitch. Sean Roby then drove in his 14th run of the year with a single. Seth Freed walked, perhaps making the HarbourCats a bit nervous, but closer Travis Kuhn was able to get the Lefties’ Branden Williams to fly out to center to end the threat.
The HarbourCats’ Adam McKillican gave up just one hit to the Lefties in 6 2/3 innings, a day after the Lefties smacked out 19 hits and scored 14 runs in a win against Walla Walla.
Portaro, Kevin Kendall and Roby all had hits for the Lefties, with Portaro’s base hit a double.
Roby’s RBI puts him third in the West Coast League in RBIs.
The Lefties have a three-game series against the Bend Elks that begins at 6:35 p.m. today at Civic Field. Check the Lefties’ website and Facebook page for radio and TV information.
Cats 6, Lefties 1
Lefties 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 1 3 1
Cats 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 x — 6 11 1
WP: McKillican LP: Shaw
Pitching
Lefties — Walker 3IP, 2H, K, BB, 0ER; Shaw 3IP, 5H, ER, BB, K; Smith 1IP, 3H, 4ER, 4BB, K; Hagan 0.2IP, H, ER, BB, K.
Cats — McKillican 6.2IP, 1H 0ER, BB, 4K; Prokopis 0.1IP, 0H; Kuhn 2IP, 2H, ER, 3BB, K.
Hitting
Lefties — Roby 1-4, RBI; Portaro 1-3, 2B, R; Kendall 1-1.
Cats — Collard 2-2, 2B; Johnson 2-4, 2B, R; Wendzel 1-4, 3B, 2R, 2RBI, BB; Rios 1-2, RBI, 2BB; Porter 1-2, 2B, RBI; Vaughn 1-2, R, 2BB.
