By Joe Traub
Port Angeles Lefties
KELOWNA, B.C. — Joe Kinsky continued the string of dominant starting pitching for the Port Angeles Lefties on their six-game road trip, firing seven, one-hit innings as Port Angeles claimed a series victory with a 4–1 win over the Kelowna Falcons at Elks Stadium.
Fluke hit
Kinsky allowed just one hit over seven innings for the second straight outing, and even the base hit was a ground ball that deflected off second baseman Brad Altomarie’s glove for a single in the fourth inning.
Kelowna then tied Wednesday night’s game on a sacrifice fly by James Shimishita.
Port Angeles had taken a first-inning lead on an RBI single by Sequim’s Evan Hurn. After the Falcons’ score, the game remained 1–1 until the seventh.
Ian Fitzgerald led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and reached third on an errant pickoff throw. Rork then hit a fly ball to left, deep enough to score Fitzergald with the go-ahead run and make it 2–1.
Kinsky sailed through the seventh, then Zach Tresemer held strong to help keep the lead in the eighth. The Lefties setup man gave up two hits and then uncorked a wild pitch to put the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second. Tresemer froze Ezra Samperi with a backdoor curveball to end the inning.
Two Kelowna errors started the ninth, then Fitzgerald effectively sealed the Falcons’ fate with a two-run single, making it a three-run lead. Lefties closer Carter Loewen was untouchable in the ninth as he retired the side in order for his seventh save.
Through Wednesday’s game, Port Angeles has won five of its last six WCL games and eight of nine overall.
The Lefties (10-7, 20-23) went for the series sweep and a 5-1 road trip late Thursday.
Port Angeles hosts Portland tonight at 6:35 p.m. as the Lefties open their final home stand of the summer, a three-game set with the Pickles through Sunday and a two-game series against Victoria on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Port Angeles 4, Kelowna 1
PA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 — 4 9 1
KEL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 3 3
WP: Kinsky LP: Nygard SV: Loewen
Pitching
Port Angeles — Kinsky 7IP, H, ER, 4BB, 2K; Tresemer IP, 2H, 3K; Loewen IP.
Kelowna — Nygard 6.2IP, 8H, 2R, ER, BB, 4K; Hurley 1.1IP; Sarafinchan IP, H, 2R, 2K.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Rork 2-4 2 SB, RBI; Groff 2-4, 2B, RBI; Hurn 1-4, RBI; Halligan 2-4, R, 2RBI; Garcia 1-3, R.
Kelowna — Shimashita 1-3, RBI; Cummings 1-2, BB, R; Voelzke 1-4.
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Compiled from team reports. Email scores to [email protected] or phone 360-417-3525.
