Spokane Indians lose at Yakima

YAKIMA – The Yakima Bears used five runs in the fourth to break open a close game, as the Spokane Indians dropped an 8-3 contest Thursday night in Northwest League baseball. The loss dropped the Indians a game back of the first-place Bears in the East Division. The Indians opened up a 2-0 lead on the Bears in the first inning. A throwing error by Yakima pitcher Enrique Burgos allowed Ryan Strausborger to score. One batter later, Clark Murphy added a sacrifice fly. After Yakima struck for two runs in the bottom of the second inning and one in the third, the Bears took advantage of mistakes by Randol Rojas and the Indians. Rojas walked Roberto Ortiz to lead off the inning, who scored two batters later. Rojas then walked the next two Yakima hitters. Zachary Walters singled in another Bears run for a 5-2 lead. Indians catcher Kellin Deglan dropped what would have been the second out on Yazy Arbelo’s foul pop. With Arbelo still batting, Rojas then allowed a run to score on a balk. An error by Murphy handed Yakima a 7-2 lead, and Walters scored one batter later. Rojas’ ERA rose to 2.93 after allowing eight runs, five earned, in four innings of work. Tim Steggall and Jimmy Reyes combined for four innings of hitless relief. The three-game series concludes tonight. Game time is 7:05 p.m.