Fumble-fingered Indians give away game

Manager Mike Micucci felt as if his Spokane Indians helped the Boise Hawks with every run they scored on Thursday night.

That included Boise’s tie-breaking run in the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over Spokane in Northwest League baseball play at Avista Stadium in front of 5,506 spectators.

“I feel like we gave them this one,” Micucci said.

A two-out throwing error by Spokane third baseman Steve Marquardt, his second of the night, allowed Elvin Puello to score the go-ahead run. Puello had singled after striking out in his three previous at-bats.

Boise remains in first place in the East Division with a 36-28 record.

The teams combined for 21 strikeouts, with Boise starter Jose Ceda striking out the side swinging in the first inning. Ceda was recently acquired by the parent club Chicago Cubs from San Diego for Todd Walker.

Spokane clawed back from a 7-0 deficit after 3 1/2 innings. The Indians scored three runs in the fourth and fifth, and tied the game in the sixth on Billy Killian’s two-out triple to left.

“I was relaxed and was seeing it pretty well,” Killian said. “I was in the zone and it was a little luck as well.”

But Spokane committed four errors to hand Boise five unearned runs.

Boise scored three runs in the first with only two base hits. The first pitch by Spokane starter Jeremiah Haar resulted in a fielding error by Chris Davis on first base. A fielder’s choice and Tyler Colvin’s single loaded the bases, and Russ Canzler earned his league-best 52nd RBI on a walk. Puello’s sacrifice fly and Steven Clevenger’s RBI single capped the inning.

Canzler broke a three-way tie for first place in NWL home runs with his 14th of the season, a one-out solo shot off Haar in the third. Spokane’s Davis is tied for second in league homers.

Two Spokane errors and three hits added three more runs for the Hawks in the fourth.

Haar ended his night after the fourth, having allowed seven hits while striking out five. Craig Crow relieved in the fifth.

KC Herren had Spokane’s lone base hit in the first four innings and for his second at-bat tallied the team’s second hit with a two-out, three-run homer to right in the fourth.

The Indians carried the rally to the next inning, tacking on three runs on four hits, including a double by Killian. The inning opened with Jay Heafner’s single to chase Ceda.

Reliever Alfredo Francisco gave up three hits in the fifth. Getting to Boise’s bullpen is what Micucci said helped the scoring rally continue.

Spokane right fielder Wally Backman Jr. injured his knee trying to chase down Colvin’s triple in the sixth, making hard contact with the outfield wall. Joe Napoli replaced him.

The Indians hit the road today for a three-game series against Tri-City.