Six-run ninth lifts Indians

Sat., July 10, 2004

The Spokesman-Review

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Spokane Indians started fast and finished even faster on Friday night at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Spokane scored six times in the top of the ninth inning to vault past the Vancouver Canadians 12-6 in Northwest League baseball action.

Spokane jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on Mike Nickeas’ RBI double and Ben Harrison’s two-run home run.

The lead lasted until the bottom of the first when Vancouver roughed up Spokane starter Kevin Altman for four runs.

Nickeas doubled in a run in the third to knot the score, but the Canadians pushed an unearned run across in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead.

Altman allowed five runs, four earned, on three hits in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Vancouver nicked Spokane reliever J.D. Cockroft for a run in the sixth to push the lead to 6-4.

Spokane answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.

Tim Hulett was hit by a pitch from reliever Stephen Schilsky to lead off. With one out Brandon Cashman and Brandon Boggs drew walks to load the bases. Dan Barnett relieved Schilsky and gave up a run-scoring single to Travis Metcalf and a bases-loaded walk to Nickeas.

In the ninth, Barnett gave up a leadoff single to Metcalf, then walked Nickeas. Reliever Chris Howay entered and promptly walked Harrison. Jim Fasano doubled in a pair. Billy Susdorf walked to reload the bases. Hulett walked to force in the third run. With one out Cashman drove in a run on catcher’s interference and Boggs capped the scoring with a two-run double.

Spokane’s Thomas Diamond will start on the mound tonight in the fourth game of the five-game series.

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Six-run ninth lifts Indians

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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