Bellingham Slips Past The Indians, 4-3

Bellingham scored two eighth-inning runs Friday night, both on a single by Pedro Felix after a walk and wild pitch, in a 4-3 Northwest League baseball victory over Spokane.

The Indians have lost six straight; the Giants have won five in a row. Reliever Matthew Saier (0-1) took the loss for Spokane, walking Joseph Nathan before the wild pitch that set up the Felix’s single.

The Giants seized a 1-0 first-inning lead when Joe Thompson doubled to left field off Spokane starter Stephen Prihoda, scoring Alex Morales.

Prihoda, who lasted five innings, then allowed a double to Jonathan Watson before retiring the next three batters to escape the jam.

Spokane answered with one run in the third inning, a Dwayne Lewis leadoff homer to right field. The Giants reagined the lead in the same inning, however, with catcher Dan Topping hitting into a double play that scored Thompson.

The Indians pressed ahead with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Lewis walked and stole second base before scoring on James Hallmark’s single to left. They made it 3-2 with Brett Schafer’s two-out home run off Marc Mosman, also to left.

Spokane led off the ninth with a Schafer walk, but the game ended quickly as Mark Melito flied out, Randall Paulin struck out and Schafer was caught attempting to steal second.

Spokane notes

Allen Sanders (1-3) starts tonight. … Mike Robbins has been promoted to Springfield, Ill., of the Class A Midwest League. … Brian Winder has been sent home to rehabilitate a shoulder.