Top of order on bases all night, Spokane Indians outlast Vancouver 8-6

VANCOUVER, B.C. – After a back-and-forth affair, the top of the order came though in the ninth inning and the Spokane Indians outlasted the Vancouver Canadians 8-6 at Nat Bailey Stadium on Saturday.

The Indians (18-5) take a two game lead over the Canadians (16-7) in the Northwest League second half. Spokane has won seven in a row and 13 of their last 15 games.

Michael Prosecky, the Colorado Rockies No. 23 prospect according to MLB.com, make his first High-A start of the season. He allowed two runs on two hits and one walk with five strikeouts. He threw 72 pitches, just 38 for strikes.

Cole Carrigg ripped a one-out single in the top of the ninth and Dyan Jorge followed with a liner up the middle for his third base hit of the game. With Kyle Karros batting, the pitcher tried to pick off Carrigg but instead threw it into center field. Carrigg advanced and Jorge got into a rundown. Jorge dove back into first base safe and Carrigg scampered home without a throw.

Karros lined a single to right to put runners at the corners, and a wild pitch allowed Jorge to score and make it 8-6.

Karros went 4 for 5 while Carrigg and Jorge had three hits apiece.

Reliever Felix Ramires (2-1), in his second inning of work, got the first two batters in the bottom half but allowed the next two to reach on a single and walk. But he coaxed a pop out in foul territory down the right field line from Dasan Brown to end it.

The Indians jumped on Vancouver starter Rafael Sanchez for three runs in the first inning. Carrigg hit a lead off home run, his ninth of the season. Jorge reached on a two-base fielding error and scored on an RBI double by Karros, who later crossed the plate on a single by Juan Guerrero.

Prosecky ran into trouble in the second. Jeffrey Wehler hit a popup that fell between three fielders in short right field, then Jesus Bugarin’s wild throw allowed Wehler to move all the way to third. Prosecky then failed to come set and balked home a run to make it 3-1.

Prosecky got two quick outs in the third then hit a wall. He hit Nick Goodwin then walked Dylan Rock, prompting Indians manager Robinson Cancel to go to reliever Braxton Hyde. Wehler singled to load the bases and Jean Arnaez’ infield single plated a run, but Rock was thrown out at home on the play to end the inning.

Carrigg legged out his league-leading ninth triple with two outs in the fifth and scored on Jorge’s infield single to restore a two-run lead. Karros singled to put runners on the corners but was thrown out in a busted double steal attempt.

Vancouver loaded the bases against Hyde with two down in the bottom half and picked up a run on an infield single.

In the sixth, Indians first baseman Jose Cordova reached on an error, stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. They picked up an insurance run in the seventh on a single by Jorge.

Indians reliever Luis Amoroso allowed the first two batters in the eighth to reach. With one down he was lifted in favor of Felix Ramires, who gave up Jace Bohrofen’s two-run triple into the right field corner, then Peyton Williams bounced out to bring in the tying run.

The series concludes Sunday at 1:05 p.m.