Spokane Indians relievers blow save in 9th, lead in 10th; Vancouver wins in extras 4-3

From staff reports

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Alex DeJesus hit a walk-off double in the 10th inning and the Vancouver Canadians edged the Spokane Indians 4-3 in a Northwest League game at Nat Bailey Stadium.

The Indians fell to 3-2 in the season’s second half and Vancouver improved to 3-2.

Leading 3-1 in the 10th, Spokane’s Angel Chivilli – who blew his fifth save chance in the ninth inning – loaded the bases with one down with a hit by pitch and a walk. After a mound visit, Chivilli walked Alan Roden to make it a one-run game.

Indians manager Robinson Cancel brought in Juan Mejia to face Dasan Brown, who lofted a sacrifice fly to center to tie it. On the next pitch, DeJesus crushed a center-cut fastball over center fielder Jordan Beck to score Lyle Lin with the winning run.

Indians starter Carson Palmquist had a stellar outing. The 22-year-old lefty struck out 10 over six shutout innings and allowed just two hits and a walk. He threw 96 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Palmquist got into some hot water in the fourth. Roden led off with an infield single off the glove of Ben Sems at second. He then hit Brown with a 1-1 off-speed pitch and walked DeJesus to load the bases with no outs.

He struck out Cade Doughty and Garrett Spain, then Kekai Rios tapped back to Palmquist to end the inning.

Palmquist retired six straight in the fifth and sixth to end his appearance.

The Indians scored in the seventh. Robby Martin Jr. and Bryant Quijada his consecutive singles to put runners on the corners. Bess struck out with Quijada running, but catcher Lin’s throw went into center field, allowing Martin to score.

Vancouver put two on with one out in the seventh, but a liner off pitcher Cullen Kafka went straight to Sems at second for the catch. An easy throw to first completed the inning-ending double play.

Chivilli got out of a jam in the eighth but allowed a two-out RBI single to Rios in the ninth to blow the save and tie the game.

In the Indians half of the 10th, automatic runner Robby Martin Jr. moved to third on a groundout and scored on a soft liner to left by Cuba Bess, who joined the team on Tuesday from the Arizona Complex League.

Braiden Ward pinch-ran for Bess and went to third on a double by Sterlin Thompson. Juan Guerrero’s sacrifice fly to right plated Ward to make it 3-1.