Spokane Indians allow Vancouver to walk all over them

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Ten total walks by the Spokane Indians (3-6) pitching staff allowed the Vancouver Canadians (6-3) to rally three times and defeat the Indians 8-5 in Friday night’s Northwest League action.

Both team’s starting pitcher delivered a shaky performance, as Indians right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Phillips threw four innings and gave up seven hits, four runs, four walks, and struck out two.

Canadians right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Weatherly went 4 1/3 innings and gave up six hits including a home run, five runs (three earned) and two walks, while he collected four strikeouts.

Catcher Javier Hernandez delivered a two-out single to score shortstop Kevin Vicuna and give Vancouver a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Spokane answered in the second inning. Charles Leblanc reached second base on a throwing error and scored on a pick-off throwing error by Weatherly to tie the game. Outfielder Chad Smith then launched a solo home run to give the Indians a 2-1.

The Indians lead disappeared as Javier Hernandez struck with another two-out RBI to tie the game in the third inning. Vancouver continued in the fourth inning when Phillips walked Kevin Vicuna with the bases loaded to score Cullen Large, giving Vancouver a 3-2 lead.

Vancouver’s Deiferson Barreto added a sacrifice fly to expand the lead to 4-2 later in the fourth inning.

Indians catcher Melvin Novoa led off the fifth inning with a single, followed by a walk and two RBI doubles to put Spokane ahead 5-4.

Left-fielder Norberto Obeso once again tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Indians right-handed middle reliever Sterling Wynn allowed a leadoff walk to begin the eighth inning, who walked another batter prior to being substituted by right-handed reliever Jacob Rogers.

Rogers then walked the first batter he faced to load the bases with one out. Canadians first baseman Kacy Clemens proceeded to hit a two-run single. Clemens was followed by another run-scoring single by outfielder Brock Lundquist for a 8-5Vancouver lead in the decisive eighth inning.

Outfielder Chad Smith went 2 for 4 with a double and solo home run, while Kobie Taylor went 1 for 5 with a triple, but both performances weren’t enough to lift the Indians offense against the Canadians.

The teams face each other for the second game of the three-game series on Saturday at 7:05 pm at Nat Bailey Stadium.