By Ray Hamill — The Humboldt Crabs were unable to take advantage of their opportunities on Friday night, as the Healdsburg Prune Packers won the opening game of a three-game series between the two Pacific Empire League frontrunners.

With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Crabs lost 3-2, with JC Osorio-Agard’s eighth-inning home run breaking a late tie and proving to be the winning run.

With the loss, the Crabs dropped to 14-6 in the PEL standings, 3.5 games behind Healdsburg (18-3), and they are now just one win ahead of the third-placed Lincoln Potters (13-7), who beat the Medford Rogues 11-9 on Friday night to keep pressure on the Crabs.

Healdsburg and Humboldt will continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday night.

The Potters and Prune Packers will play each other on Wednesday and Thursday in a pair of games that will also have a big say in who qualifies for this month’s championship series.

But the Crabs left a golden opportunity slip away on Friday night, failing to take advantage of their opportunities.

The home team left 12 runners stranded on base, twice as many as their opponents.

Tyler Howard did not disappoint in the loss, however,  and did his best to give his team a shot at the victory.

Howard had the hot bat for the night, finishing 4-for-5 with a home run and two doubles.  

Niko Lombardi also had a double in the loss.

The visitors took the lead with a run in the top of the second and doubled the advantage an inning later.

However, the Crabs continued to create opportunities and pulled even with runs in the fifth and sixth, including Howard’s blast.

Regular Friday night starter Myles Standish took the mound and pitched seven strong innings, allowing just five hits and two walks to the high-flying Prune Packers, who stretched their winning streak to five straight and improved to 31-3 on the season.

Standish gave up just one earned run and struck out six.

Max Hippensteel threw the final two innings in relief and gave up just one hit and no walks, while striking out four.

Mason Lerma got the win for the Packers in relief of starter Kaden Taque.

Lerma threw 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and a walk and striking out four.

Saturday night’s game is set for 6:30 p.m., with the series finale on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.