FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2025

Bellingham, WA – The Victoria HarbourCats used three Bellingham errors and an offensive explosion to build a 10-0 lead and then then held on for a 10-6 win over the Bells in West Coast League action Friday night at Joe Martin field in Bellingham.

FULL BOX SCORE

Victoria’s first three runs came directly from three Bellingham errors, one in the fourth inning, one in the fifth and one in the seventh, the latter of which sparked three more hits, including a two-RBI double from Isaiah Afework and four more runs to break the game open.

The HarbourCats followed that inning with four more in the eighth inning to bump the lead to 10-0, the first of which came on an RBI-double from Jack Johnson and the last three of which came on a Dillon Lopez three-run home run to right field, his sixth hit in the last four games.

Meanwhile, Victoria starter Shea Lake had perhaps his best outing of the season, going five complete and scoreless innings, giving up just one hit, walking two and striking out seven.

Hudson Lance came on in relief for the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and he was solid for the most part, although the Bells did get to him for three runs in the eighth to get on the board.

The Bells would make it interesting in the ninth, as Ethan McNish-Heider walked the bases loaded and then walked in a run, before Austin Lindsey came in to put out the fire.  The Bells would get a single and sac fly to score two more, but that would be it as Lindsey got a strike out and fly out to end the game.

In addition to two-hit games from Lopez, Johnson and Jake Butler, Logan Shepherd  had a three-hit night, while Tanner Beltowski walked and scored twice to pace the offence.

The win moves the HarbourCats North Division leading second half record to 11-2 and their overall record to 23-16, where they sit in second, just 1.5 games back of these same Bells.

Game two of the series goes Saturday night at 6:35 pm with All-Star Tommy Bridges scheduled to get the start.

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