Indians lose ground
Boise win cuts lead to five
PASCO – Jordan Pacheco doubled in two runs during a three-run sixth inning and the Tri-City Dust Devils beat the Spokane Indians 5-2 in Northwest League baseball play Sunday night.
With the loss – coupled by Boise’s 11-5 win at Yakima over the Bears – the Indians magic number to clinch the East Division championship remains at six.
Any combination of Spokane wins and losses by second-place Boise (38-28) that add up to six would give the Indians the title.
Spokane (43-23) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
With two outs, Jared Bolden tripled to cneter field. Jacob Kaase followed with a double to right field, scoring Bolden. Kaase then scored on a sharp single by David Paisano.
Tri-City (34-32) answered with a single run in the fourth inning to come withing 2-1.
Dust Devils’ Chad Lembeck greeted Spokane starter Wilfredo Boscan with a homer to left field to lead off the sixth inning, knotting the score at 2-2.
After consecutive outs, Boscan gave up a walk and a single, setting up Pacheco for his big hit.
Tri-City added an insurance run in the eighth inning.
Charles Blackmon was 1 for 3 with two runs scored and a stolen base for Tri-City.
The Dust Devils and Indians play one more game tonight in Pasco before beginning a three-game set in Spokane on Tuesday.
The Indians conclude the season with six straight games against the second-place Hawks – three in Boise beginning Friday before three more at Spokane’s Avista Stadium beginning Sept. 1.