Indians sweep Hawks
BOISE – An 11th-inning error in right field Friday night allowed the Spokane Indians to record their first series sweep of the Northwest League baseball season.
Boise right fielder Ryan Harvey dropped a shallow fly ball with one out and the bases loaded, sparking Spokane to a 4-2 win at Hawks Memorial Stadium.
Spokane (19-16) won the series 3-0, chalked up its fourth consecutive win and handed the Hawks (17-18) their fourth consecutive loss. Spokane also moved into a first-place tie in the East Division with Tri-City, which lost to Yakima 6-5.
The Indians are 3-2 in extra-inning games this season, including 2-1 against Boise.
Boise collected four consecutive singles during its one-run first inning off Spokane starter Shawn Phillips. Phillips avoided a bigger inning by picking off Preston Griffin at first base after his one-out single.
Spokane pieced together four hits and two runs during its second inning. Mike Nickeas had a leadoff single and scored on Chris Alexander’s sacrifice fly. Ben Harrison doubled to left field and scored on Billy Susdorf’s single, also to left.
Boise tied the game at 2 in the fourth on an RBI infield single by Jose Rios.
Neither team put together a serious scoring threat from the fifth through the 10th innings.
Spokane’s winning rally in the 11th began with a one-out walk to Nickeas by Jerry Blevins (2-1). Harrison singled, and both runners moved up on a fielding error by left fielder Luis Montanez. The Hawks intentionally walked Alexander to load the bases.
Jim Fasano lofted a short fly to right that Harvey dropped to put Spokane in front, 3-2. Susdorf followed with an RBI single to left.
Jesse Ingram (3-0) worked the ninth and 10th to earn the win, allowing two hits and striking out three. Jarred Burcie pitched the 11th for his fourth save.
The Indians are 7-2 against Boise this year, including 5-1 at the Hawks’ stadium. Spokane is 10-5 against fellow East Division teams.
The Indians, absent from Avista Stadium for one week, will return home tonight to open a five-game series against the Vancouver Canadians (15-19). Vancouver won four of five games from Spokane two weeks ago.
Spokane will send starter Clint Brannon (0-0, 1.20) and piggyback reliever Mark Roberts to the mound tonight.