Spokane Indians drop third of the week to Vancouver 5-4
The Spokane Indians have had the Vancouver Canadians number most of this season, going 20-6 against their visitors entering play Saturday.
But it’s been a different Canadians team in the second half, as they’ve been demonstrating this week at Avista Stadium.
Nick Goodwin delivered the go-ahead run with a fortuitous dribbler though the infield in the ninth inning and the Spokane Indians lost to the Vancouver Canadians for the second night in a row and third time in the series, falling 5-4 before a sellout crowd.
The Indians (30-17) retained a two-game lead over the Canadians (28-19) with 19 games remaining in the Northwest League second half. Vancouver has a six-game advantage for second place in the second half to determine the Indians’ opponent in the NWL championship series in September.
Jay Harry singled with one down in the ninth, then went to third on an errant pick-off throw by Indians reliever Bryson Hammer. Goodwin then hit a broken-bat squibber that got between Hammer and first baseman Jose Cordova before the pair bounced off of each other on the infield grass, allowing Harry to jog home.
The Indians got a runner to third with two down in the bottom half, but Jake Snider flied out to left to end the game.
Vancouver got something of a gift run in the first inning. Jace Bohrofen singled to right with one down but Snider fumbled the pickup allowing the runner to go to second. With two down, Cutter Coffey hit a routine grounder to third that Kyle Karros lost in the sun and Bohrofen beat the throw from left field to make it 1-0.
The Canadians added a run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Brennan Orf and Peyton Williams cranked his eighth homer of the season, a solo shot, into the parking lot beyond the right field fence in the third.
The Indians finally got on the board in the sixth. Jean Perez led off with a single and went to third on a one-out double by Dyan Jorge. Perez scampered home on a wild pitch and Jorge scored on a sacrifice fly by Karros to make it 4-2.
Skyler Messinger and Bryant Betancourt added back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners, Betancourt stole second, then Jose Cordova ripped a double off the right field wall to plate both and tie it up.
On the mend: Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela is set to make a rehab appearance with the Indians at Avista Stadium on Sunday. The 29-year-old from Valencia, Venezuela, made his MLB debut with the Rockies in 2017 and has compiled a 39-43 record and 4.87 ERA in 145 appearances across seven seasons at the big-league level.