BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The Bend Elks managed to avoid a second straight shutout. But they could not avoid a season-high eighth straight West Coast League loss.

Collin Runge was 2-for-3, and his sacrifice fly in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon ended a string of 14 conseuctive shutout innings for the Elks. But Bellingham took command early with a three-run first inning and won 7-2 in the second game of a three-game series at Joe Martin Field.

The Elks, who lost the series opener 8-0 with just three hits on Saturday night, collected eight hits Sunday, including a pair by leadoff hitter Nick Roberts. Runge, the former Ridgeview High standout who belted a three-run homer in last week’s WCL all-star game at Port Angeles, had two singles in Sunday’s game to boost his batting average for the season to .276.

With Monday night’s game in Bellingham, the Elks will conclude a stretch of 24 games over 28 days, including 18 road games.

—Bulletin staff report