The Victoria HarbourCats shaded the Ridgefield Raptors 3-2 Tuesday night in Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.
An RBI single in the eighth by Victoria’s Jason Willow helped the ‘Cats even the series at one game apiece and gave Victoria their first win in the second half of the schedule.
Tuesday’s game was also Victoria’s first-ever win over the expansion Ridgefield Raptors, who joined the West Coast League this season.
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Stealing the show early on was Kyle Harper, whose powerful home run in the first inning gave Victoria a 2-1 lead. Harper, who has only played five games due to injury this summer, sits second on the team with homers. Tuesday’s dinger was his third home run of the season.
Making his first start of the year was Dakota Hawkins, continuing the recent stretch of dominance from HarbourCat pitching by retiring 11 of the first 12 Ridgefield batters, exiting after five — not allowing a walk and racking up five strikeouts on the night.
Taking the baton from Hawkins, Hunter Hennigh allowed a single hit over two innings to keep Victoria in front during the sixth.
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Johnny Weaver’s solo homer in the eighth gave Ridgefield their first run since the opening inning, and notched the game 2-2.
Chase Meidroth led off the eighth for the HarbourCats with a double and advanced to third on a Tanner Haney fielder’s choice before Willow brought him home with the game-winning single.
Matt Amrhein loaded the bases with one out in the dramatic ninth before getting the final two outs to preserve the win and earn his fifth save of the season.
The two teams square off in the rubber match Wednesday evening at Wilson’s Group Stadium with first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.
kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca
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