Pirates take two of three from Bells

Moses Lake takes winning streak into all star break

MOSES LAKE - After losing an 11 inning contest with the Bellingham Bells on July 18, the Moses Lake Pirates rebounded to win two straight games heading into this week's all star break.

The Bells scored two runs in the top of the second inning, and added one run in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 4-0 lead. The Pirates responded with a run in the seventh to cut the Bellingham lead to 4-1. Bellingham scored another run in the top of the eighth inning, and Moses Lake answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the eight to cut the Bells lead to 5-2.

The Pirates denied the Bells in the top of the ninth inning to head into Moses Lake's final at bat before extra innings.

Moses Lake outfielder Ty Rubio walked to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning. Pirates outfielder Dan Yelovich lined into a double play to clear the bases. With two outs and zero base runners in the bottom of the ninth inning, Moses Lake infielder DC Legg singled to center field. Legg would steal second base before Moses Lake outfielder Phillip Parrish walked.

The Pirates had runners on first and second with two outs when Matt Lujan doubled into the gap between left field and center field. Legg and Parrish both scored on the play to cut the Bellingham lead to 5-4. Tyler Anderson pinch ran for Lujan, and Moses Lake infielder Brandon Huerta doubled to center field to score Anderson from second. Moses Lake catcher Nick Stiltner grounded out to end the inning, but not before Moses Lake tied the game 5-5.

Moses Lake surrendered two runs in the top of the 11th inning and could not respond to drop the extra inning affair 7-5.

Despite the extra inning loss the Bellingham, Moses Lake Pirates manager Trevor Brown said he was satisfied with the way his team fought back against the Bells.

"I thought it was very impressive how the players came out," he said. "Down three, two outs, two strikes, no one on, to came back and lose in the 11th. Impressive."

In the second game of the series, the Pirates jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Bellingham would tie the game in the top of the third, but the Pirates came alive with three runs in the bottom half of the third to close out the scoring.

The Pirates won the middle game of the three game series 4-1.

In the series finale the Bells kept the Pirates off of the scoreboard for three innings. With the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Moses Lake offense exploded onto the scoreboard with six runs. With the bases loaded in the fourth, Legg doubled to left field to score three Pirates. At the end of the fourth inning, the Pirates scored six runs on three hits and Moses Lake would never look back.

The Bells scored a run in the top of the fifth inning, and two more in the seventh. Moses Lake won the game 6-3, and the series 2-1.

Brown said he was impressed with his team's ability to respond after Moses Lake's 11 inning loss in game one of the series.

"Resiliancy was huge," he said. "To come off that first game to win the next two was huge."

Moses Lake continues its season at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Larson Playfield with a three game series with the Kelowna Falcons of Canada.