Yakima Steals One From Tribe Five-Run Ninth Inning Gives Bears 7-6 Win Over Spokane

Well, let’s see what that first baseman, No. 17, has to say about his game-winning hit.

Oops. Scratch that. Let’s see what the other No. 17 at first base says about his game-winning hit.

Yakima’s No. 17, Brian Sankey, smashed a two-out, two-run double to punctuate a five-run ninth inning Thursday as the Bears demoralized the Spokane Indians 7-6 at Seafirst Stadium. The Indians’ Northwest League season, just more than three weeks old, hit rock bottom. Everything seemed right - good crowd, beautiful weather, two fun-loving mascots - because Spokane had rallied from a 2-0 deficit.

Bolstered by Kit Pellow’s two-run, go-ahead homer in the sixth, the Indians led 6-2 with three outs to go. Pellow, No. 17 on his back, trotted out to his defensive position at first base in the ninth, as unaware as the 4,641 in attendance of the horrors to strike.

Eight Yakima batters later, it was Yakima’s first baseman providing the game-decider.

“I was just trying to put the ball in play,” said Sankey, a 22-year-old Boston University product. “I’ve been taught with two strikes to choke up and put the ball in play.”

There were indeed two strikes on Sankey, but that was the case with just about every batter who faced Modesto Villarreal (1-3) during his nightmarish ninth.

The first four batters singled off Villarreal, including Steve Wilson’s two-run hit on a 0-2 count. After a flyout and fielder’s choice, Villarreal seemed to have ended the game, striking out Rich Saitta on a pitch in the dirt. The ball rolled to the backstop, however, and Saitta reached first while another run crossed.

Then Sankey, after looking overmatched on two pitches, caught up with a changeup for a screaming double to right-center and the telling blow. Spokane went quietly in the ninth as Jeff Kubenka earned his third save.

Sankey, a left-handed hitter, looked back on the wild ninth with one question: Why didn’t Spokane bring in the left-handed pitcher it was warming up? The answer: The two available lefties are either tired or ineffective.

The Indians (7-16) have dropped four straight and 15 of 19. Yakima is 9-14 after three consecutive wins. “They’re going to do fine,” Sankey said of the Indians. “We’ve just won a few and gained some momentum.”

Spokane became the first team to score an earned run against Blake Mayo, making his first start for Yakima. Mayo, who entered with a pefect 15 innings in relief, gave up Brett Taft’s two-out, RBI double in the fifth. Mayo’s ERA is 0.45 in 20 innings.

Spokane begins a four-game series at Boise tonight, with Scott Mullen (0-2, 5.63) scheduled to start for the Indians. Spokane returns home Tuesday against Bellingham.

Notes

Boise general manager John Cunningham said the responsible Hawks players will pay for the damages done to five rooms at Cavanaugh’s Resident Court early Tuesday morning. Boise players, fresh from Monday’s third win in four games over Spokane, celebrated until 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. Motel manager Dave McClure said the players left holes in walls and doors, and littered the courtyard with beer bottles and pizza boxes.

, DataTimes