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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tri-City dusts up Spokane in opener

Somer Breeze Staff writer

The Spokane Indians made a ninth-inning rally against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Saturday, but lost the opener of a three-game series 10-7 at Avista Stadium.

Both teams totaled 16 hits, and the Indians had at least one hit in every inning during the Northwest League game in front of 4,583 spectators.

“We were swinging the bats well and had some big hits,” Spokane manager Mike Micucci said.

When the Indians hosted the Dust Devils earlier this month in a three-game series, Spokane lost the first game, but ended up winning the series 2-1.

An RBI single from Tri-City’s Jeff Kindel in the fourth inning put the game’s first run on the board. The single knocked in Aaron Rifkin, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Spokane’s starting pitcher Brett Zamzow ended the fourth with a strikeout.

Zamzow finished with three strikeouts, gave up two hits and one run in four innings pitched.

Spokane’s Chad Tracy answered with a solo home run to left field in the fourth, tying the game at 1 and putting Tracy in second place in the NWL with six homers – one behind teammate Chris Davis.

Shannon Wirth (0-2) relieved Zamzow in the fifth and in four pitches gave up three doubles to the Dust Devils, giving them two runs and a 3-1 lead.

Wirth allowed another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Geoff Strickland with the bases loaded from a walk and two hits. With two outs and the bases loaded again, Spokane’s Patrick Donovan relieved Wirth and got out of the inning with a flyout.

“We threw a couple of zeros there in the start, but then we had to fight from behind,” Micucci said. “We need to match up the club more with the pitching and the hitting.”

After a Tri-City pitching change to Alvin Hayes, Tracy singled in the sixth, followed by a single from former Little League teammate Thomas Berkery, forcing another pitching change to Thomas Baumgardner.

With two outs, Davis knocked in Tracy with a ground-rule double. Chris Kemp walked, loading the bases for Joey Hooft, whose infield single scored another run. The Indians left the bases loaded and trailed 4-3.

Tri-City gained more ground in the seventh with two RBI singles and an RBI triple against Donovan. A throwing error from catcher Tracy to second base put one of the runners in scoring position at third. Back-to-back diving catches from third baseman Steve Marquardt and second baseman Hooft retired the side.

Marquardt hit his league-leading 11th double down the left-field line in the seventh, knocking in Spokane’s fourth run. Marquardt is also tied for second in the league for extra-base hits with 15.

Spokane made its fourth pitching change in the eighth with Austin Weilep, who gave up three runs in the ninth inning.

The Indians made their rally in the ninth, scoring three runs with four base hits, but still couldn’t catch the Dust Devils.

Game two of the series will be tonight at 6:30 at Avista Stadium.