Spokane Indians come back late, but lose series final to Vancouver in walk-off
VANCOUVER, B.C. – Despite a furious late comeback, the Spokane Indians lost to the Vancouver Canadians 7-6 in the finale of a three-game Northwest League series at Nat Bailey Stadium on Sunday.
The loss ends a seven-game winning streak for the Indians (18-6), who led the Canadians (17-7) by one game for first place in the second half. Spokane is 18-4 against Vancouver this season.
The Indians scored five runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-5 lead, but reliever Welinton Herrera walked two in the ninth, then gave up a two-run double to Brennan Orf for the walk-off hit. Orf’s liner into the left field corner plated Dasan Brown from third and Nick Goodwin was safe at home when catcher Bryant Betancourt dropped the relay throw.
Indians second baseman Dyan Jorge scored the game’s first run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Jake Snider.
Indians starter Connor Staine carried a no-hitter into the sixth but ran out of gas quickly. He hit leadoff hitter Brown, then Brown stole second. Jace Bohrofen walked and Peyton Williams’ ground ball got through for an RBI single. After a mound visit by pitching coach Blaine Beatty, Goodwin’s liner to center was misread by EJ Andrews Jr. and it went as an RBI double.
Staine got the next two batters, but catcher Robert Brooks crushed a hanging breaking ball for a two -run homer on Staine’s 104th pitch of the game, ending the starter’s outing.
Staine walked four and struck out five over 52/3 innings.
Andrews hit a long home run to left in the eighth, a two-run shot, for his fourth of the season to make it 5-3. Later in the inning with runners at the corners, Juan Guerrero hit a bouncer up the middle and into short center. Jorge scored easily from third, and Snider raced around the bases and tied it when the throw home was mishandled by the catcher.
Betancourt followed with a run-scoring ground-rule double to take the lead.
The Indians start a six-game road series at Eugene on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.