For the second straight game, the Cowlitz Black Bears struck early as they beat the Yakima Valley Pippins 8-2 on Wednesday at Yakima County Stadium.

The victory gave the Black Bears the series against the Pippins with one game remaining. Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Valley Mall, is the Pippins’ final home game of the season. The first 1,000 fans receive archaeologist Scott T. Pippin bobbleheads, and fireworks conclude the night.

The win also clinched a playoff berth for Cowlitz.

The Black Bears scored three runs in both the first and second innings, and the Pippins never got closer than five runs in the game.

The lone bright spot for the Pippins came in the fourth, when Jace Phelan took the lead across the West Coast League leaderboards with his eighth home run of the season. Phelan finished 2-for-4.

Cowlitz racked up 12 hits. Marques Titialii, who homered twice on Tuesday, went 2-for-3 with two walks and four runs scored. He was one of four Black Bears with two hits in the game.