Ninth-inning wild pitch allows Spokane to pull out NWL win

EUGENE, Ore. – The Spokane Indians were part of a wild finish at Civic Stadium Saturday night.

German Duran scored from third base on Neil Jamison’s wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning to give Spokane a 3-2 Northwest League baseball win over the Eugene Emeralds. Spokane outscored Eugene 21-19 during the five-game, season-opening series, but the Emeralds took the set 3-2.

Jarrad Burcie (1-0) worked a perfect ninth to earn the win, but the Indians holdover from 2004 also allowed the tying run in the eighth on Billy Richardson’s sacrifice fly.

Spokane led 2-0 after Jonathan Higashi doubled home a run and scored on an error in the fifth.

Eugene newcomer Nick Hundley tripled with one out in the sixth and scored on Santiago Guerrero’s RBI groundout to shortstop.

Spokane’s home opener is at 6:30 tonight, when the Indians begin a five-game series with the Everett AquaSox.