Spokane Indians lose playoff opener

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The Spokane Indians did almost everything they wanted on Wednesday night except get a key hit.

Left-hander Derek Thompson pitched six-plus superb innings, keeping the Vancouver Canadians’ speedy runners off base and shutting down their power hitters, but the Indians will return to Avista Stadium tonight needing a win to keep their season going.

Little-used catcher Mike Reeves bounced a one-out RBI single to center field in the seventh inning to give the Canadians a 1-0 win over the Indians in Game 1 of the Northwest League North Division playoff series at Nat Bailey Stadium.

The run was charged to Thompson, who opened the game with 4 2/3 no-hit innings but was pulled after allowing Chris Carlson’s leadoff single to open the seventh. Darrell Hunter relieved for one batter, a ground out that sent Carlson to second base, and Luis Pollorena took over to face Reeves, who had totaled five RBIs in 17 games this season.

“Pollorena comes in there and makes a great pitch and (Reeves) bounces it up the middle out of everybody’s reach to get the RBI,” Indians manager Tim Hulett said.

The Canadians, three-time defending NWL champions, will attempt to wrap up the best-of-three series at 6:30 tonight at Avista Stadium.

The Indians couldn’t get the key hit for Thompson, leaving runners in scoring position in the first, second, fourth, seventh and eighth innings.

Spokane began the game with back-to-back singles by league batting champion Eduard Pinto and Jose Trevino, but Canadians starter and winner Ryan Borucki struck out the next three batters.

Indians left fielder Diego Cedeno opened the second with a triple to right, but Borucki stranded him at third with a strikeout, popout and ground out.

In the fourth, with Luke Tendler at third and Cedeno at second with one out, Borucki bore down for a ground out and fly to center.

“Especially early in the game, we had guys at third base with less than two outs and all we had to do was put a ball in play,” Hulett said. “You have to tip your cap a little bit to their lefty (Borucki). He was good at not allowing that contact to score that run.

“We recognized right away that he had a really good change-up. When he got guys in scoring position, especially against our righties, he went right to the change-up several times.”

Vancouver left fielder Jonathan Davis made three sparkling defensive plays, robbing Trevino of extra bases in the third by chasing down a gapper with a diving stop; taking a hit away from Pinto in the fifth with another diving catch while moving in; and chasing down Pepe Cardona’s deep fly to left-center in the seventh.

Thompson, who allowed three hits, kept Vancouver’s 1-2-3 hitters, Roemon Fields, Tim Locastro and Franklin Barreto off the bases except for an infield error and Locastro’s sixth-inning double. Those three went 1-2-3 in league stolen bases this year. Thompson also avoided trouble from cleanup hitter Ryan McBroom, who combined with Barreto for 120 RBIs this season.

“Derek had a great outing tonight,” Hulett said. “He really kept the off-balance, pounded the strike zone, got ahead of hitters. … We just couldn’t get it done offensively tonight.”

The Indians, whose last playoff appearance was in 2010, will start Richelson Pena (5-5, 3.36) tonight against Jairo Labourt (5-3, 1.77).

In the South Division series, Hillsboro defeated Boise 5-2 for a 2-0 sweep. The Hops will await the Spokane/Vancouver winner in the NWL championship series.