Tribe Troubled By 11th Frame

The 11th inning has been a no-man’s land for the Spokane Indians this year.

Randy Stearns’ run-scoring single in the bottom of the 11th Wednesday gave the Yakima Bears a 5-4 Northwest League win over the Indians at Yakima County Stadium.

Spokane (15-21) is 1-3 in extra innings this year - every loss coming in the 11th. Yakima (14-22) leads the season series 3-1 and heads to Spokane for tonight’s 7:05 game. Spokane’s seven-game homestand is its longest of the season.

The Indians led 4-1 after 6-1/2 innings Wednesday. The Bears crept closer on Brian Sankey’s leadoff home run in the seventh, and pulled even in the eighth when reliever Jason Simontacchi allowed Tony Mota’s RBI double and Matt Meyer’s RBI single.

Meyer opened the 11th off Chad Rodriguez (0-2) with a double. After an intentional walk, Meyer was nailed at third on a bunt to the mound. Stearns singled to right-center on a 3-2 count.

Spokane sent eight to the plate in the sixth. Brandon Berger’s one-out single gave the outfielder RBIs 33 and 34, then Jason Layne’s RBI single chased starter Casey Deskins.

Jeff Kubenka (2-1), who relieved in the 11th with one out and Indians on first and second, earned the win.

, DataTimes