Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

To err is Canadian: Indians win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – And the beat goes on, even after 14 innings.

That’s how long it took Sunday afternoon for the Spokane Indians to win their latest Northwest Legue baseball game, a 10-8 victory over the Vancouver Canadians, who committed eight errors. The victory gives the Indians a 20-6 record and a four-game lead in the East Division. Second-place Tri-City lost to Everett 8-0.

The Indians loaded the bases with singles in the top of the 14th inning but scored two runs without another base hit. Pinch runner Cody Podraza scored from third when Zach Zaneski hit a grounder to second and the Canadians played for the force out at second base. Then Eric Fry scored when Vancouver shortstop Jason Christian committed a fielding error on a ball hit by Kyle Higgins. It was Vancouver’s eighth error.

In the bottom of the 14th, Indians reliever Dustin Brader (1-0) picked up the win by retiring the side in order. He pitched two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.

The Indians scored two runs in the third on a bases-loaded throwing error by Vancouver starting shortstop Francisco Tirado, who committed four errors and finished the game at third base.

But heading into the top of the seventh, Vancouver had taken a 5-2 lead. In the seventh, Spokane scored five runs in a variety of ways. The first two runs scored on a play where Vancouver third baseman Rodney Rutherford had a fielding error and later a throwing error. The next two scored on a triple by Joey Butler. The fifth run scored when Timothy Rodriguez drew a bases-loaded walk.

Still, the game went to extra innings when Vancouver scored three runs in the eighth to tie it at 8.

Spokane had 14 hits, four by Justin Pickett. The Indians had only six earned runs and five RBIs among their 10 runs.

Spokane begins a three-game series against the Yakima Bears tonight at 6:35. The teams travel to Yakima for another three-game series beginning Thursday.