Indians top Bears, end losing streak
Late-inning rallies give Spokane victory at Yakima
YAKIMA – The Spokane Indians scored five runs over the final two innings and rallied for a 7-4 victory to snap a six-game Northwest League baseball losing streak Wednesday night.
Yakima scored three runs in the seventh to take a 4-2 lead before the Indians bounced back to tie the game with two outs in the top of the eighth.
Miguel Alfonzo tripled and scored on a wild pitch with Vinnie DiFazio at bat. DiFazio walked and left the game for pinch runner Kyle Rhoad, who scored on Aja Barto’s triple.
Tommy Mendonca, in his second game with the Indians, scored the go-ahead run in the ninth, singling to lead off the inning and eventually coming home from second when the Yakima first baseman dropped a throw. That error allowed Edward Martinez to reach base. Martinez stole second and scored on Cody Podraza’s single, with Podraza ending up at second on the throw. Alfonzo then singled home Podraza.
The Indians’ other runs came in the first and fifth innings.
In the first, DiFazio’s sacrifice fly brought in Podraza, who had doubled and gone to third on a wild pitch.
In the fifth, Zach Zaneski, who singled earlier in the inning, scored on Martinez’s ground out.
Reiner Bermudez, who pitched a scoreless eighth, got his first win with the Indians. Justin King picked up his first save with a scoreless ninth.
Matt Thompson had a strong start for the Indians, giving up five hits and one earned run on a homer while striking out three Bears.
The teams meet again tonight in the second game of three-game set.