Spokane Indians Rewind: Hans Crouse misses start, bats can’t string hits together in loss to Boise

Danny Edgeworth went 2 for 5 with two RBIs and the Boise Hawks (1-0) beat the Spokane Indians (0-1) 7-4 on opening night at Avista Stadium on Friday.

The Hawks rallied for three runs in the fifth to build a 6-0 lead, but the Indians came back with four runs in the seventh, taking advantage of three walks and a hit by pitch, and Starling Joseph added a run-scoring single. Joseph finished 3 for 5.

Boise picked up an insurance run in the ninth on a walk, wild pitch and a throwing error by third baseman Diosbel Arias.

The Good: Starling Joseph. Led a nine-hit attack with three hits, Miguel Aparicio, Diosbel Arias and Isaias Quiroz added two hits apiece.

The Bad: The Indians weren’t able to lump those hits together. Their rally in the seventh was a product of a skittish Boise pitcher, not of their own doing, really.

Leadoff hitter J.P. Martinez, the Texas Rangers No. 3 prospect just assigned to the Indians this week, went 0 for 4 with a walk in his Northwest League debut. He was tearing up the Dominican Summer League – 9 for 22 with a home run, triple, double and nine walks, including four in a single game on June 4, in seven games before the call-up.

The Ugly: Scheduled starter Hans Crouse was injured during warmups and did not play. According to a team spokesman, he suffered a cut on one of the fingers on his throwing hand.

“It doesn’t seem to be too big of an issue,” first-year manager Kenny Holmberg said of Crouse’s injury. “It didn’t seem like it was the right thing to do to put him out there with a little blemish on his throwing hand.

“We decided the best thing to do was to skip this one, doctor it up, treat it accordingly and he’ll make his next start until I hear otherwise.”

The Takeaway: Obviously, losing Crouse to injury was the big deal. It seems like a minor thing and he shouldn’t miss any time, but any time the organization’s No. 4 prospect and second-round pick from the previous draft is scratched from a start, it can send chills throughout the system.

The Rangers have already lost top-10 prospects Cole Ragans and Chris Seise for the season due to arm injuries.

Next Game: Indians vs. Boise at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. LHP Jake Latz is scheduled to make his first start of the season for the Indians.