The Victoria HarbourCats put on a show for the home crowd, knocking off one of the West Coast League鈥檚 top teams on Saturday night at Royal Athletic Park. With timely hits and stingy pitching, the HarbourCats edged the Wenatchee AppleSox 3-2, putting an end to a five-game losing streak.
鈥淚t feels awesome,鈥� said HarbourCats third baseman Dylan Lavelle, who sparked the team with two leadoff doubles, and scored a pair of runs. It was Victoria鈥檚 first win over the AppleSox in five tries. 鈥淲e just got off a five-game skid. [Beating Wenatchee] just shows we can deal with anybody.鈥�
The HarbourCats and AppleSox wind up their series today at 1 p.m.
Victoria, now 16-18, came close to getting to the visitors on Friday, in a 2-0 loss, but Wenatchee is leading the North Division at 22-16.
鈥淲enatchee is an established brand,鈥� Victoria head coach Dennis Rogers said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e the Starbucks of the West Coast League, and we鈥檙e the new coffee shop down the street trying to steal their business.鈥�
The HarbourCats have been struggling of late, but Rogers looks beyond the win/loss column. He sees the silver lining on the field, even when it doesn鈥檛 show up on the scoreboard. It鈥檚 about nurturing young players.
鈥淲e鈥檙e the youngest of all the teams in this league,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淚 think the ups and downs are predictable, but it鈥檚 about staying the course, grinding it out and finding those moments when you have success.鈥�
On Saturday, Bryan Conant began several innings by having a runner on base, but dug deep and kept himself out of trouble. It took the AppleSox until the fourth inning before they got anything going.
鈥淗e attacked the game,鈥� Lavelle said.
With two out, catcher Joey Harris singled, shortstop Nate Steffler walked, and Kramer Ferrell singled to pick up the RBI.
Ferrell, the leftfielder, continued to roll, reaching far over the outfield fence to rob Victoria鈥檚 Jordan Ellis of a home run.
The HarbourCats tied the game 1-1 in the fifth. Lavelle led off with a double to the centrefield fence. Advancing to third, Lavelle was singled home by catcher David Schuknecht.
The crowd really started to buzz in the sixth inning, when their boys took a 2-1 lead. Alex Real walked, and he was in the process of stealing second, just as rightfielder Chris Lewis stroked a base hit. A rushed throw from the outfield turned into a two-base error, and Real slid home under the tag.
Lavelle slammed his second double of the game to kick off the bottom of the seventh inning. He was singled to third by DH Connor Russell, and Wenatchee starter was relieved by Lars Rider. Lavelle scored on a sacrifice fly by Schuknecht.
Righthander Ryan Keller came in to relieve Conant in the eighth, and survived a scare in the ninth. Connor Spencer scored, and it was a one-run game. With two out, Wenatchee had runners at the corners, when Brett Urabe leaped into outer space at second base to deny Brock Slaven, and end the game.
