Spokane Indians struggle on bases, lose to Vancouver third time in four games 4-1
The Spokane Indians have been aggressive on the bases all season, usually with good results. But Friday night they made a few costly blunders on the basepaths early, and it cost them.
On top of the outs on the bases, Spokane went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. The Vancouver Canadians took advantage of the miscues and beat the Spokane Indians 6-1 at Avista Stadium for the third time in four games.
The Indians fell to 10-12 in the second half and 5-13 against Vancouver this season. The Canadians improved to a Northwest League-best 16-6.
Indians starter Connor Van Scoyoc allowed three earned runs on six hits, with three walks and a run-scoring balk over six innings. He struck out four and threw 64 of his 104 pitches for strikes.
The baserunning problems started in the first inning. The Indians loaded the bases with one out, but Nic Kent flied out to medium-deep right and Garrett Spain threw out Sterlin Thompson trying for third on the play, preventing a run from scoring.
In the second, back-to-back two-out singles by Ronaiker Palma and Braiden Ward put runners at first and third. Ward stole second, and the throw kicked off Ward’s leg and into short left field, allowing Palma to score.
Ward raced to third and was waved home by manager Robinson Cancel, but Gabby Martinez’s throw nabbed Ward at the plate.
Vancouver had runners at the corners with two down in the third, and Van Scoyoc failed to come set. Both umpires signaled balk, allowing the runner on third to score.
The Indians made another out on the base paths in the fourth. With runners at the corners and two down, they attempted a double-steal, and Ben Sems was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Canadians grabbed the lead in the fifth. A botched potential inning-ending double play ended instead with two outs and a runner at first. Spain ripped an RBI double to the left-center gap, then scored on Martinez’s triple to right.
Colorado Rockies reliever Tyler Kinley, on rehab assignment from elbow surgery, gave up his second home run in as many appearances in Spokane, a solo shot by Devonte Brown to lead off the seventh. Kinley got out of the rest of the inning unscathed with a pair of strikeouts.