Bellingham’s Skid Gives Others Hope

Bellingham is doing its part to keep fans interested in the Northwest League right to the finish.

The Giants, who lead the North Division standings by fives games with just less than three weeks remaining, went through a dry spell that included three shutouts in an eight-game span.

First, the Giants lost 1-0 to Yakima. The most painful loss was 2-0 to Everett last Saturday, followed by a 3-0 loss to Eugene last Sunday.

Sunday’s loss was followed by a 9-1 shelling but at least the Giants scored, ending a 37-inning scoreless stretch. The losing streak reached four games, during which the Giants hit .155 (16 for 103), with a 4-1 loss to Eugene.

The Giants had only been blanked twice prior to the 3-5 skid.

The road dump allowed Spokane, Yakima and Everett to remain within five games of the lead.

Reward

About Bellingham’s painful loss to Everett - AquaSox pitcher Roger Blanco got the win after going 0-7. Four days later, Blanco went from the last place AquaSox of the North Division to Eugene, battling for the South Division pennant.

Blanco was the player the Mariners sent to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Mark Whiten.

Eugene travels to Everett Aug. 27-30. Blanco turns 20 on Aug. 29 and his old friends still plan to throw him a party.

A name to remember

Boise received a new player last week - Evert-Jan Axel-Charles T’Hoen.

T’Hoen (pronounced Toon) goes by E.J. He’s a 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-handed shortstop from Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

T’Hoen played college baseball at Indian Rier Community College and signed with the Angels prior to the June draft but couldn’t play earlier because he participated in the Olympics.

Since the Olympics ended he was in Toronto awaiting a visa.

Boise manager Tom Kotchman scouted and signed T’Hoen and arranged the details to get him to Boise.

Pennant race

Boise and Eugene put on quite a display last week for two teams fighting for a pennant.

The series in Eugene opened with the Emeralds hammering Boise 12-0. Boise, which had a one-game lead over the Emeralds starting play on Saturday, scored eight runs in the top of the 14th inning for a 12-4 win on Aug. 9. The next day, the Ems came back with 10 runs in the second inning en route to a 16-4 romp over the Hawks.

Tribe turnaround

Spokane had quite a seven-game road trip.

It started with three losses in Yakima, all by two runs, in which the Indians got a total of 14 hits.

In the next game at Southern Oregon, the Indians banged out 17 hits, winning 16-8. The Indians followed with 14 hits, 13 hits and 10 hits (in a loss). When they returned home Friday they had 11 hits to beat Portland 8-1.

Friday’s game was the first meeting between Spokane and Portland and the first of eight straight games the teams will play against each other. The first four are in Spokane.

Extra bases

Justin Bowles of Southern Oregon homered in three straight games prior too seeing the visiting Indians on Aug. 11 and was named player of the week…. Everett catcher Scott Steinmann went 1 for 35 in an 11-game stretch…. Bellingham righty Brandon Leese struck out 10 in six innings to beat Everett and teammate Kurt Takahashi whiffed 11 in five innings the next night but lost to the Sox.

Boise outfielder Rob Neal hit .400 (22 for 50) with 17 RBI in a 14-game stretch that ended Aug. 12…. Yakima’s Jay O’Shaughnessy allowed nine earn runs in three consecutive starts, going 15-1/3 innings and striking out 30 but only went 1-0.

David Cortes of Eugene allowed no runs in nine consecutive appearances through 11. He struck out 17 in 16 innings to get one win and three saves.

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