Boise holds off Indians with run in ninth

BOISE – Boise blew an eight-run lead before finally putting away the Spokane Indians in the ninth inning in a 10-9 Northwest League baseball win Tuesday night.

The win put the Hawks alone in the NWL’s East Division at 5-2, a game ahead of Spokane.

The Indians trailed 9-1 after giving up four runs in both the third and fourth innings, but scored six in the top of the eighth to make it 9-8. Spokane tied the game in the top of the ninth when Ryan Rua doubled home Royce Bollinger with no outs.

Rua reached third on a sacrifice bunt, but Joe Maloney and Preston Beck struck out to end the inning.

Spokane changed pitchers in the bottom of the ninth. Cody Kendall was tagged for a leadoff single by Stephen Bruno, who scored the winner on a double by Jeimer Candelaria.

Indians center fielder Bollinger was 4 for 5 and scored two runs. Gabriel Roa had three RBIs on two sacrifice flies and a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning that scored Nick Vickerson with the run that put the Indians within a run at 9-8.