Starter Mike Ruff can’t finish off sixth inning, Spokane Indians can’t finish off Tri-City in 5-4 loss

Many times in baseball it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

On Wednesday, Spokane Indians starter Mike Ruff tossed a gem for the first 5⅔ innings. He just couldn’t find the last out of the sixth.

Ruff gave up a two-run homer to his last batter in the inning, then Anderson Bido allowed two runs in the ninth and the Tri-City Dust Devils beat the Indians 5-4 in the second game of a six-game Northwest League series at Avista Stadium.

Anderson Bido (0-4) came on in the ninth for the Indians and allowed consecutive singles. Tri-City bunted the runners over, then Gabe Matthews lined a 1-2 pitch into left for a two-run single.

Bido offered Matthews four consecutive off-speed pitches.

“Another pitch sequencing mistake,” pitching coach Ryan Kibler said. “He can throw a fastball by that guy right there instead of the fourth breaking ball in a row. And he hangs it.

“I’m OK with the pitch, too – if he bounces it. You may have a punch out right there. I am sure he was trying to bounce it, but maybe he was trying too hard and it backed up on him and he left it up.”

Colin Simpson hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, but the Indians couldn’t find the tying run.

It was scoreless until the fourth.

Drew Romo singled to start the fourth and he went to third on a one-out double by Julio Carreras. Simpson hit a routine grounder to second, but it went under the glove of Kyren Paris and into right field, allowing both runners to score.

Mike Peabody got one of those runs back for Tri-City in the fifth with a long solo homer to right – his sixth of the year.

Ruff got the first two outs of the sixth without incident but he hit Mitch Nay, then Steven Rivas clubbed a 0-1 pitch the other way for a two-run shot to right to put the Dust Devils up 3-2.

Ruff allowed three runs on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts. He threw 63 of his 95 pitches for strikes.

“Thought I carried the first four or five (innings), whatever it was,” Ruff said. “It went well, just couldn’t finish it. … The hit by pitch led to the home run. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t.”

“Just a couple mistakes right there,” Kibler said. “The home run the other way to the lefty, that was a location mistake. Thigh high. I’m OK with the fastball there, but it’s either gotta go all the way up or all the way down.”

Ruff said he wanted to get through the sixth.

“I understand my role,” he said. “And I think part of it is trying to get us into deep into the game so, you know, we’re not hurting the bullpen. I was able to make it through up until, you know, the last out of the sixth. Hopefully, next time we’ll finish it.”

Austin Kitchen came in during the sixth and allowed consecutive singles. Peabody ripped a line drive to right center, but Braiden Ward raced into the gap and made a leaping catch to take away extra bases and keep it a one-run game.

Spokane tied it in the eighth. With one down, Zac Veen tripled into the right-field corner and scored on a blooped single by Romo.

Game notes

• New guys: Before the game, the club announced several moves. First baseman Grant Lavigne and infielder Cristopher Navarro were promoted to Double-A Hartford. Catcher/first baseman Hunter Goodman and shortstop Mateo Gil were promoted from Low-A Fresno to Spokane and catcher/third baseman AJ Lewis was sent to Fresno.

Goodman, 22, is the Colorado Rockies No, 20 prospect according to MiLB.com. Goodman hit .291 with 22 homers and 68 RBIs in 73 games for Fresno this season.

On Monday, RHP Tony Locey was promoted from Spokane to Hartford and 3B Warming Bernabel and LHP Mason Green were promoted from Fresno to Spokane.