Indians eke out victory

BOISE — Limited to five hits Wednesday night, the Spokane Indians found a different way to chalk up a victory.

Tug Hulett scored from third base on a passed ball in the eighth inning to give Spokane a 2-1 win over Boise at Hawks Memorial Stadium.

The outcome left both teams with 17-16 records in the East Division of the Northwest League, one game behind Tri-City.

Tonight’s middle game of the three-game set will feature Spokane’s J.D. Cockroft (0-2, 3.97) against Luis Brito (4-1, 2.51), who is No. 3 in league earned-run average.

The Indians scored the go-ahead run without the benefit of a hit. Boise reliever Jae-Kuk Ryu (0-1), who entered in the sixth inning, issued a leadoff walk to Hulett.

Hulett advanced to second base on a sacrifice, took third on a passed ball with Mike Nickeas at the plate, and scored on a passed ball with Ben Harrison at bat

Ryu also allowed the tying run. Harrison greeted him with a first-pitch single in the seventh, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on Jim Fasano’s two-out single to center field.

Indians starter John Bannister allowed two hits and one earned run in four innings, striking out five. The first batter Bannister faced, Bobby Deeb, walked then scored on Ryan Harvey’s single to right.

Justin Lensch (2-3) allowed two hits in 3 2/3 innings to earn the win, his first since June 19. Jarrad Burcie picked up his third save by striking out two of the four batters he faced.

Boise’s Luis Montanez, the league’s leading hitter, went 1 for 3 to drop his average to .384.

Nickeas finished 0 for 3 to end a 13-game hitting streak.

Spokane is 5-2 against the Hawks this season, including 3-1 in Boise.